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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27644849">Double Entendre: Summer Heat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DavidFalkayn/pseuds/DavidFalkayn'>DavidFalkayn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Double Entendre [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kim Possible (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:40:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>20,430</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27644849</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DavidFalkayn/pseuds/DavidFalkayn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's summer time, but that doesn't mean it's going to be all play for Tara, Hope, and the rest of the gang.  New faces arrive as our gang enjoys their summer away from school.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Josh Mankey/Kim Possible, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Zita Flores/Ron Stoppable</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Double Entendre [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1597495</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Moving In</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Sorry for the lengthy delay, but I had two surgical procedures done on me since August: gall bladder removal and cardiac ablation, so it's taken me some time to get fully operational again.  In this opening chapter for what I am aiming for being a brief summer series, Felix and his family move in as Shego fights an internal war.  Some lingering plot threads from the last novel will be tied up and others elaborated on further.  I hope you all enjoy this summer series and thanks again for reading!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>Stoppable Home</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You are?”  Ron exclaimed happily as he talked with the phone cradled by one shoulder while simultaneously scooping portions of scrambled eggs on to two plates.  “That’s terrific!  You still need help moving?”  He asked as he placed bacon and hash browns on the plates.  “It’s no problem at all.  They’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”  He declared as he poured juice into two glasses.  “Just have plenty of pizza and soft drinks ready.”</p>
<p>“How many people?”  Ron repeated his friend’s question as he finished up his breakfast preparations.  Let’s see…Liz and Kevin called last night and told me to send their apologies, but they can’t make it.  They’re going with Mr. Amberson, the head of the chess club, to some sort of chess tournament for beginners.  Steve and Jessica had to bail as well.  Jessica got stuck babysitting and Steve’s father’s got him working extra hours to pay the insurance on that truck of his.  But we’ve got Zoe, Crystal, Sergei and Kim along with me and Zita.  We should be enough”</p>
<p>“Hey…what about me?”  An outraged little mole-rat chittered.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah…”  Ron chuckled, “Rufus too.”  Turning to his tiny companion, the blond youth held out a piece of cheese, “Sorry, Rufus.  Here you go.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.”  Rufus chittered as he grabbed the wedge of cheese and began nibbling.</p>
<p>“Is that Felix, Ron?”  A female voice called out to the blond chef.</p>
<p>“Yeah, baby.”  Ron shouted back.</p>
<p>“Tell him Hi from me.”</p>
<p>“Will do!”  Smiling, Ron turned his attention back to his friend on the phone.  “That was Zita.  She told me to tell you Hi from her.  I will.  Yeah…we’re about to eat breakfast too.  See you soon!  Bye!”</p>
<p>“Does Felix still want us to help him move in?”  Zita, wearing one of her boyfriend’s oversized hockey jerseys inquired as she padded into the kitchen on her bare feet.</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Ron answered back with a grin as he gestured at the kitchen table.  “Breakfast’s done.  Dig in.”</p>
<p>“Mmmm…” The brown-skinned Latino girl licked her lips, “Looks as good as the cook.”  Sitting down at the table, she quipped, “Join me?  I don’t know about you, but I worked up quite an appetite after last night’s workout.”</p>
<p>“Sure.”  Ron smiled back as he joined his girlfriend at the table.  “Good thing Mom and Dad are gone on another business trip.  You were pretty loud last night.”</p>
<p>“You do that to a girl.”  Zita laughed before taking a sip of orange juice.  “I’m surprised Kim and her folks didn’t hear us, but I got a feeling she was making some noise of her own with Josh.”  She chuckled before taking a bite of her eggs, “So…when is she going to Florida?”</p>
<p>“A couple of days after we help Felix move in.”  Ron answered.  “The last time we talked, she told me that they’re going to stay with Nana for about a week.  Then, after the big Fourth of July picnic, they’re taking off to spend a week at her uncle’s ranch.”  Smiling, he tempted, “She wants us, along with Josh, to come along as her guests.  So…”</p>
<p>“Sounds good.”  Zita chuckled, “I think I can swing my parents’ permission.  What about the Dirty Pair?  Are they coming with us?”</p>
<p>“Not this time.”  Ron shook his head.  “Tara said that she, Hope and Sergei are going to be spending a few weeks in London with her folks after the Fourth.”</p>
<p> “Sounds like they’ve got their summer all planned out too.”  Zita remarked as she poured coffee into two mugs.  “Cream and sugar?”  She asked as she poured cream into two mugs and then ladled a spoonful of sugar into one of the mugs and stirred.</p>
<p>“Yeah.  Thanks.”  Ron replied.  Glancing up at the clock, he groaned, “We better get a move on.  Felix is expecting us in a few hours.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Zoe Chen’s Apartment</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wake up, sleepyhead.”  Zoe playfully poked the slumbering figure lying next to her.  “We’ve got a busy day.”</p>
<p>“Don’t wanna wake up.”  Crystal groaned as she ducked her head beneath the covers.  “Comfy here.”</p>
<p>“I know, sweetie.”  Zoe sighed as she showered her lover with kisses, “But Felix is expecting us.”  A mischievous smirk appearing on her face, the Asian dancer quipped, “Race you to the shower.”</p>
<p>Throwing off her covers, Crystal responded with a wide grin, “I got dibs on the loofa!”</p>
<p>“Only if you beat me there!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Possible Home</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dashing down the stairs from her room to the kitchen, Kim called out to her parents. “Mom…Dad…Tara and Hope will be by soon to pick me up.  We’re going over to the Rentons to help them move in.”</p>
<p>“That’s good, Kim.”  James, her father, replied as he peered over the newspaper he was reading while enjoying his breakfast coffee.</p>
<p>Ann commented with a smile on her face as she joined her family at the kitchen table.  “I hear his mother’s taken on a position as an associate professor at MIST.”</p>
<p>“She’s also working as a consultant for us.”  James interjected, “Her knowledge of robotics will come in very handy for the Pegasus Project.”</p>
<p>“Any word on Shego?”  Kim asked her mother, changing the subject.</p>
<p>“No.”  The neurosurgeon glumly shook her head.  “And I have to admit that it has me worried.  She should have come out of that coma by now.  I feel like there’s something we’re missing…”</p>
<p>“Are you sure you got all of Drakken’s implants out?”  Kim inquired.</p>
<p>“Yes.”  Ann replied with a vigorous nod of her head.  “We ran every test we could.  There’s no way we could have missed an implant unless it was…No…” she shook her head, “…that should be impossible…”</p>
<p>“What dear?”  James asked as he set his paper down.</p>
<p>“He couldn’t have made an invisible implant…could he?”</p>
<p>“Theoretically, it’s possible.”  James responded.  “If the implant were designed in such a way that it didn’t reflect any light waves that would render it for all intents and purposes invisible.”</p>
<p>“What would we have to do to detect it?” </p>
<p>“You’d have to expose it to a wavelength that it’s not calibrated to reflect.”  James clinically explained.  “I assume you’ve used MRI and CAT-Scan as well as x-rays.”</p>
<p>“Of course.”  Mrs. Dr. Possible responded with a huff.</p>
<p>“What about infrared?”</p>
<p>“Infrared?”  Ann exclaimed, “Of course! We’ve been using wavelengths below the visible spectrum, but infrared…”</p>
<p>“Is a longer wavelength.”  James interrupted with a smile.  “While Drew most likely figured that you’d use x-rays and MRI scans, he probably didn’t plan on anyone using infrared.  If there is a cloaked implant—that should expose it.”</p>
<p>“How long will it take to get it set up?”  Mrs. Dr. Possible inquired.</p>
<p>“Give me a moment.”  James said as he took out his cell phone and hit the speed dial.  “Hello?  Rajiv?  I need you to do a favor for me.  Can you see to it that the portable infrared scanner is sent over to Middleton Medical right away?  My wife needs it for some important tests she needs to run.  You can?  Even better!  Thanks!  I owe you one.”  Pocketing his phone, the rocket scientist turned back to his wife.  “Rajiv said that the scanner should be at the hospital by the time you get there.  It shouldn’t take long to run it and get results.  I’ll come with you and help you get it set up and work the controls for you.”</p>
<p>“Thanks honey!”  Ann grinned as she gave her husband a kiss.  “You’re the greatest!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, Dad.”  Kim smiled as she also kissed her father on the cheek.  “You’re the best.”  Pausing for a moment, she took out her Kimmunicator.  “I need to let Tara know…”</p>
<p>“Let me.”  Ann interrupted as she pulled her cell phone out of her purse.  Entering in the blonde Englishwoman’s number, Mrs. Possible waited until she heard Tara’s poshly accented voice.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Mrs. P?  Is this about Sheila?”</em>
</p>
<p>“Yes, Tara.”  Ann replied in a soft voice.  “I think there’s something you should know.”  The neurosurgeon then took her time to explain everything to the concerned young woman she was talking to.  “If all goes well, we’ll get whatever it is that Drew put in there out.”</p>
<p><em>“Do you think there’s only one implant?”</em>  Tara asked with a hitch in her voice.</p>
<p>“Probably.”  Ann responded, “But we’re going run scans on all wavelengths to make sure.  Drew must really hate Sheila for him to go through all this trouble…”</p>
<p><em>“It’s not hate, Mrs. P.  Not really.”</em> Tara opined.  <em>“I think it’s more he feels betrayed by her.  He’s acting more like a spurned lover than anything else.”</em></p>
<p>Nodding her head as she compared the mad scientist’s actions towards Sheila with those against her own husband and family, Ann concurred.  “I see your point, Tara.  Although I don’t think spurned lover is the right analogy.  Betrayed friend might be more accurate.”</p>
<p>Listening in to the conversation that his wife, with Tara’s consent, had put on speakerphone for his and Kim’s benefit, James chimed in.  “We’ve seen how Drew can hold a grudge for years…decades even.  He’s never forgiven me or the others for the way we treated him in college.”  Taking a deep breath, the rocket scientist admitted, “Granted, that wasn’t my finest hour, but had he called me out on it at the time…I’d like to think I’d have apologized and tried to make up for it.”</p>
<p>“You would have, Dear.”  Ann declared in a consoling voice.  “You were a young man and young men…young women too…” the neurosurgeon confessed as she recalled some not so shining moments from her own youth, “…sometimes do stupid things.”</p>
<p>Chuckling softly, James remarked self-deprecatingly, “Older men sometimes do stupid stuff as well.”</p>
<p>“So do older women, honey.”  Ann laughed. Turning her attention back to her phone conversation, Mrs. Dr. Possible queried the woman at the other end of the conversation about Shego’s next of kin. “We’ve sent word to her brothers but were told that they were out of the country.  Do you know anything about that?”</p>
<p><em>“No.”  </em>Tara replied with a bitter edge to her voice.<em>  “When I called, I got the same message.  That they were out of the country on a mission and that my message would be forwarded to them.  No response.  But then, I’m not surprised.  Ever since Sheila quit Team Go they’ve been cool towards her.”</em></p>
<p>“Didn’t the two of you work together with her brother a few months back?”  Kim interjected, referring to a past mission.</p>
<p><em>“Yeah, Kimmie.”  </em>Tara acknowledged, <em>“But that was more a marriage of convenience than anything else, luv.  We needed muscle and Hego got a good ego stroking from all the press he received from it.  Neither one of them were really happy about working together.”</em></p>
<p>“And she has no other family?”  Ann further queried.</p>
<p><em>“Not that I know of.”</em>  Tara replied in a soft voice.  Her tone now taking on a more thoughtful edge, she remarked, <em>“I think maybe, we’re the closest thing she has to a family now.”</em></p>
<p>“Then we’re definitely going to do our damnest to get her back on her feet.”  Ann forcefully declared.  “I love all of my children…even the more colorful ones like Sheila…and you and Hope.”</p>
<p><em>“We love you too, Mrs. P.”  </em>Tara responded with a laugh.  Her merriment quickly fading, the young Englishwoman pleaded, “<em>Keep me updated…please.”</em></p>
<p>“Of course, I will, honey.”  Ann at once replied.  “I’ll let you know the moment we get that implant out and get her stabilized.  “You have my word.”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Good enough for me, Mrs. P.  Kimmie?”</em>
</p>
<p>“Yeah, ‘ra?”</p>
<p>“We’ll be by to pick you up soon.”</p>
<p>“I’ll be ready.”</p>
<p>Watching as his wife put her phone back into her purse, James remarked sincerely, “I’m lucky.  I have a great wife and daughter.”</p>
<p>“You’ve also got a launch coming up.”  Ann jibed, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment at her husband’s praise as she tossed his lab coat to him.  “You still have some final calculations that need to be made, don’t you?  This isn’t going to take away from that—is it?”</p>
<p>“No.”  James replied with a smile, “Vassili and Rajiv have that covered and there’s plenty of time to double and triple check the results.  Minerva-1 isn’t slated to launch until the end of the month.”</p>
<p>“That’s the one going to Venus, isn’t it, Dad?”  Kim asked as she finished her breakfast.</p>
<p>“That’s right, Kimmie-cub.”  James replied as he folded his paper and, picking up everyone’s dirty dishes, took them to the sink where the Tweebs waited to do their portion of the morning chores.  “It’s really three probes in one.  The first one is an orbiter.  While it’s mission is important, what we’re really interested in is what the other two probes discover.  Hopefully, the lander will survive long enough to get us some good readings and photos; and the atmospheric probe will shed some light on Venus’s atmosphere.”</p>
<p>“Sounds like there’s a lot that can go wrong.”  Kim observed as her father nodded his head in agreement.</p>
<p>“You’re right, Kim.”  The rocket scientist acknowledged.  “We’re asking a lot of the probe.  But if it delivers on even a fourth of what we’re hoping for, then I’ll call it a success.”  Taking a deep breath, he called out to the Tweebs, “Boys…once you get the dishes done, get ready.  Your Aunt June will be by soon to pick you up.  You’re spending the day with her and Larry.”</p>
<p>“All right!”  Both boys cried out in unison.</p>
<p>“Maybe he’ll let us play <em>Everlot</em>.”  Jim exclaimed as he quickly rinsed the dishes then handed them to his twin brother who placed them in the dishwasher.</p>
<p>“Yeah!”  Tim echoed, “I wanna play my fighter.  I just got him up to tenth level.”</p>
<p>“That’s up to Larry, boys.”  Ann declared as she gave her children goodbye kisses.  “I want you two to behave yourselves today and do what your Aunt June tells you.  That means no rocket launches and no tinkering with her car like you did last time.”</p>
<p>“Awww…Mom!”  The Tweebs groaned, Jim pleading, “All we did was add a flight mode to her boring old Mundane.”</p>
<p>“You turned it into a supersonic jet!”  Kim interjected, rolling her eyes.  “Larry got sick and threw up all over the back seat.”</p>
<p>“Yeah…well…” Tim stammered before quickly recovering, “It was his fault.  We warned him not to eat all that candy.”</p>
<p>“That’s enough, boys!’  James interrupted.  “You heard your mother.  Behave yourselves and no inventing or tinkering.”</p>
<p>“Okay.”  Both boys promised, “We’ll be good.  Promise.”</p>
<p>Nodding his head in satisfaction, James turned to his daughter, “And you…young lady…”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, Dad.”  Kim sighed, “Josh and I will be spending the entire day at Felix’s parents.  We’re not going to be alone—I promise.”</p>
<p>“Good.”  Mr. Dr. Possible responded as he headed for the door, pleased at this daughter’s reply.  “I know I don’t have anything to worry about, but…”</p>
<p>Kim breathed an inward sigh of relief as her mother quickly interrupted.  “I’m sure there’s nothing going on that shouldn’t be, James.”</p>
<p>“I know, dear.”  James answered back as he exited the house with his wife, waving goodbye to his children, “Have a good day!”</p>
<p>Sighing in relief as her parents departed, Kim muttered to herself once she was safely out of earshot of her brothers, “Fuck…that was close.  Gotta stop thinking about Josh when talking to the ‘rents.  But damn!  He was good last night.  I don’t think I’ve…”  The young redhead chided herself as she glanced downwards.  “Easy girls…you’re starting to perk up and the Tweebs are in the kitchen.  We don’t want them to suddenly come in and see you two standing out.  Think of something else…Barkin in a dress…Drakken naked…Eeewww…”  A look of disgust appeared on her face.  “That did it.  Not horny now and not going to be for a while with that image stuck in my head.” </p>
<p>After slipping her phone into her purse, Kim called out to her siblings, “Hurry up, Tweebs!  Tara and Hope are on their way and Aunt June should be here soon!  Get a move on!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Tara and Hope’s House</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just got off the phone with Kim and Ann, luv!”  Tara called out to her roommate and best friend, Hope, currently in the shower. “She says she’ll be ready by the time we get there.”  Her voice growing more somber, she added, “Ann also filled me in on Cheeky.  It seems that sodding bastard Drakken left another fail safe.”</p>
<p>“Fuck!”  Hope shouted back as she emerged from the shower stall and began the process of toweling herself off.  “Give me a few and we’ll talk, bestie.  Okay?”</p>
<p>Tara hollered back, “Take your time.  I’ve just put on some coffee and am about to have my morning cigarette.  Sergei will be by in a few.  He had to drop his babushka off at the doctor’s and then he’s heading right over.”</p>
<p>“Good!”  Hope replied as she exited the bathroom wearing nothing but a bathrobe.  “I need my morning cup of joe and we need to talk.”  Pouring coffee into a mug and then adding cream, the lovely brunette took a sip, “Ahhh…perfect.”  Noting the worried look on her best friend’s face, she queried in a gentle voice, “What did Ann say?”</p>
<p>Tara relayed her earlier conversation as she took a drag from her cigarette and exhaled.  “Drakken’s gone through a lot of trouble just to make Sheila suffer.”  Taking a deep breath, the lovely blonde sipped her coffee.  I can’t help but think the bastard’s left some more booby traps.  Fucking sadist.  Damn him to Hell.”</p>
<p>“Maybe we should pay him a visit.”  Hope suggested.  “Convince him to tell us whether he’s left any other land mines.”</p>
<p>“Don’t think I haven’t considered it.”  The blonde adventuress sighed as she put out her cigarette and lit another.  “But before we beat the information out of dear Drakken, I think I’ll give Ann and her mates a bit more time.”</p>
<p>“How much more?”</p>
<p>“If we don’t hear anything positive after we help Ron’s friend move in, then we’ll go and see Blue Boy and kick his arse.”  Tara decided, her roommate nodding her head in agreement.  “For now, though…” the blonde groaned as she got up from her stool and rinsed out her mug, “…we better get our own asses in gear.  Kim’s expecting us.”</p>
<p>As she finished her words, the doorbell rang and a tall, slender dark-haired young man entered.  “Good morning, lyubovniki!”  Sergei called out as he made his way to the kitchen.  Seeing the forlorn looks on his lovers’ faces, he inquired, “Is everything all right?”</p>
<p>“Sit down, luv.”  Tara gestured at a stool next to where she sat, “Hope’ll get you a cup of coffee and we’ll talk.”  As he took his seat, Hope brought him a cup and sat down on the stool on the other side of the tall Russian.</p>
<p>“What is it, lyubov?  Does it involve Sheila?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”  Tara nodded her head.  “We just heard from Ann.”  As Sergei heard Tara and Hope’s report, he gritted his teeth.  “That nepravil’noy formy!  What are we going to do?”</p>
<p>“For now.”  Tara replied, “We wait and hope that Ann and Kevin’s father are able to remove any remaining implants.  Then…” Her facial expression darkened, “We make sure Drakken understands once and for all that he’s to leave Sheila and the rest of us alone.”</p>
<p>Nodding his head in solemn agreement, Sergei responded, “Da.  He must not hurt anyone else again.”</p>
<p>Changing the subject, Hope asked, “Did you drop babushka off?”</p>
<p>“Da.”  The young Russian replied.  “Mother will pick her up.”</p>
<p>“Great.”  Tara nodded her head, grateful at the change of subject.  “I’m looking forward to meeting Felix in the flesh.  From the times we’ve talked to him in chat, he seems an all right sorta bloke.”</p>
<p>“Da.”  The dark-haired Russian youth agreed as he helped his lovers clean up the kitchen.  “Ron told me yesterday that the two of them used to be best friends until Felix had to move.”</p>
<p>“Crys, Zoe, and Zita all vouch for him.”  Hope chimed in. “That’s points in his favor right there.”</p>
<p>“True.”  Tara agreed, “Guess we’ll find out for ourselves soon.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Middleton Medical Center</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thanks, James.”  Dr. Ann Possible sighed as her husband carefully calibrated the infrared scanner.  “If Drew did slip in an invisible implant, I hope this sniffs it out.”</p>
<p>“If it lets out an infrared signature, then this baby will catch it.”  James confidently declared as he looked down on Shego’s comatose form.  Taking a deep breath, the rocket scientist announced, “It’s ready now.”</p>
<p>As James activated the device, Dr. Guberman paid close attention to the monitoring screen.  Noticing an object appearing near the patient’s cerebral cortex, he called out, “We’ve got something!”</p>
<p>Her attention at once focused on the image, Ann gritted her teeth.  “That bastard did plant something.  Can your scanner pick anything else up, James?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Mr. Dr. Possible replied in a grim voice.  “It’s picking up a signal being transmitted from somewhere.  Also, it’s transmitting Shego’s brain waves to the outside source.”</p>
<p>“You think Drakken might have put in a dead man’s switch?”  Dr. Guberman postulated.  “Triggering detonation if either the source or the implant is tampered with.”</p>
<p>Nodding his head, James replied in the affirmative, “It wouldn’t surprise me.  We need to get that thing out of her body before it goes off.”</p>
<p>“We’re going to have to be careful.”  Ann cautioned, “Drew might also have set it to detonate if it’s removed the wrong way or if the signal is cut off.  Is there anything we can do about that, James?”</p>
<p>“Maybe.”  The scientist responded as he gave the problem careful thought.  “If we can duplicate the signal’s exact wavelength and strength and Shego’s brainwave pattern, we can fool the device into remaining inert.  But we’ll have to be careful to make sure that everything is precisely duplicated.  If we’re off by so much as an angstrom…” He shook his head.</p>
<p>“Then we’d better be sure we get it right the first time.”  Turning her gaze to her colleague, Ann declared, “I can do this with James, Phil.  You’ve got Donna and Kevin…”</p>
<p>“And you’ve got James, Kim, and the twins…” Dr. Guberman countered.  “Point is…we’ve both got people who depend on us and whom we depend on.  We’ve also got a patient who’s depending on both of us to help her.”</p>
<p>“You’re right, of course.”  Ann sighed, “We’re going to need the secure operating room and make sure anyone who’s assisting is fully aware of the risks.”</p>
<p>“Right.”  Phil Guberman nodded his head, “You get things prepped here and I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”</p>
<p>“James?”  Ann pleaded, her gaze turning to her husband.</p>
<p>“Already cleared it with the office.”  Mr. Dr. Possible declared as he pocketed his phone. “Rajiv and Vassili have everything under control.  I’m staying here…with you…until we get that thing out of her.  Now…honey…you better get to work, and I’ll recalibrate the scanner.  We’re only going to get one shot at this, and I want to make sure everything goes right.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>The Renton Home</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her eyes falling on the many boxes and cartons stacked about the house, Phyllis Renton sighed, “It’s going to take all summer to get all this put away.”</p>
<p>George Renton, Phyllis’s husband, in an effort to cheer up his wife, picked up a box and moved it into the kitchen.  “We’ll get it done, dear.”  He grinned as he opened the box and began to take out an assortment of pots and pans.  “So…where do you want these?”</p>
<p>Laughing, Phyllis replied, “Just leave them.  I’ll put them away.”</p>
<p>“What about this stuff?”  Felix called out as one of his wheelchair’s robotic arms easily picked up a box marked ‘office supplies’.</p>
<p>“Put them in that room over there.”  George replied as he pointed to a side room.  “Your mom and I are going to use that area for our office.”</p>
<p>“Okay!”  Felix replied as the chair’s cyberarm extended.  Setting the box down in the other room, the wheelchair-bound youth retracted the arm. “Oh…I just got off the phone with Ron.  He says that him, Zita, and their friends should be by soon to help us out.”</p>
<p>“That’s good.”  Phyllis responded as she picked up another box labeled ‘kitchen utensils’.  “It’s been years since we’ve seen Ron, hasn’t it, George?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  George answered back as he picked up a box of office supplies.  “The last time we saw him…he was what?  Eight years old?”</p>
<p>“Something like that.”  Phyllis replied as she began to put pots, pans, silverware, and dishes into cupboards and drawers.  “I wonder how his parents are doing.  It’s been ages since I’ve talked with Jean.”</p>
<p>Smiling as he heard a knock at the door, Felix called out, “I’ll get it.” </p>
<p>“Okay, dear!”  Phyllis responded as she began to take out more dishes from another box.  “You know where we’ll be.”</p>
<p>Opening the door, Felix grinned as he recognized Ron and his fellow <em>Everlot</em> guild members.  “Ron!  It’s been what?  Eight…nine…years?”</p>
<p>“About that long.”  Ron replied, nodding his head.  “You know Zita, Crystal, and Zoe…”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Felix grinned as he turned his gaze to the girls.  “It’s great meeting all of you face to face.”</p>
<p>“And these are some more friends.”  Ron interjected as he introduced everyone else, “Tara…Hope…Sergei…and you remember Kim…don’t you?”</p>
<p>“Kim? Kim Possible?”  Felix grinned, “It’s been a long time.” </p>
<p>“Hey, Felix.”  Kim nervously replied, her gaze momentarily drawn to the young man’s wheelchair before looking up again.  “How have you been.”</p>
<p>At once picking up on the reason for the redhead’s unease, Felix smiled reassuringly, “Well, as I guess you can see, there’ve been a few changes over the years—but nothing I couldn’t deal with.”  In what seemed to be an effort to prove his point, he pressed a button on his wheelchair.  An arm extended from the chair and grabbing a glass of water, handed it to the teen hero, “Mom and I have done some tinkering with my chair.  This is just a little of what it can do.”</p>
<p>“Cool.”  Josh grinned as he squeezed his girlfriend’s hand. </p>
<p>“Most ingenious.”  Sergei agreed.</p>
<p>“It’s also got built in stereo with the latest streaming services and a cd player.”  Felix proudly announced.</p>
<p>Changing the subject as she noticed her friend’s discomfort, Tara gestured towards a stack of boxes and crates.  “Where do you want us to start?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Middleton Medical Center</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Her readings have stabilized, Ann.”  Dr. Guberman reported to his fellow neurosurgeon.  “Ready?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Ann, taking a deep breath, replied grimly.  Looking up, she asked her husband, “James?”</p>
<p>“It’s working.”  James reported.  “We’ve cut the original signal and the implant is accepting ours.”</p>
<p>“Let’s do this.”  Ann decided, holding out the palm of her hand, “Scalpel.”  Under her breath, the redheaded neurosurgeon whispered to her patient, “We’re doing the best we can, Shego, but we can’t do this without you.  So…are you ready to fight for your life?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Shego’s Mindscape</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Are you ready to fight for your life?”</em>
</p>
<p>Her eyes scanning her environment, Sheila found herself standing in a courtroom in front of the defendant’s chair.  Glancing at the prosecution table, she saw Dr. Drakken dressed in a three-piece suit with one of his henchmen serving as bailiff.  The henchman, raising his voice announced.</p>
<p>“All stand for the Honorable Supreme One.”</p>
<p>As the judge, wearing a hooded robe that hid her face and form, sat down, the bailiff again called out, “You may be seated.”</p>
<p>“Read the charges.”  The judge, speaking with a voice that sounded almost familiar to Sheila, demanded as the bailiff ordered.</p>
<p>“The defendant will stand.”</p>
<p>Doing as she was told; Sheila listened in silence as the bailiff announced the charges she faced.</p>
<p>“Defendant stands accused of the following charges: Aiding in foiling attempts to destroy the Middleton Space Center.  Passing on information concerning her employer’s schemes to his enemies.  And the final charge—treason against her employer.”</p>
<p>“How does the defendant plead?”  The judge demanded in that same raspy, yet vaguely familiar, voice.</p>
<p>“Not guilty.”  Sheila proudly declared.</p>
<p>“Unacceptable!”  The judge fiercely countered, “A plea of guilty will be entered for each charge.  Prosecution…begin your case.”</p>
<p>As Dr. Drakken rose from his chair behind the prosecution table, Sheila heard a voice in her ear, soft, encouraging, there one moment and gone the next.  <em>“Hang in there, Cheeky.  You can beat him.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Renton Home</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The moving in process finally completed, Hope and Sergei wandered outside.  Seeing her best friend sitting on the ground under a tree smoking a cigarette, the raven-haired cheerleader approached.  Taking her flask out of her purse, she handed it to her blonde roommate.  “You okay, T?”</p>
<p>“You are worried about Sheila, da?”  Sergei commented as he massaged his blonde lover’s shoulders.</p>
<p>Letting out a moan of pleasure as she felt her Russian lover’s hands gently kneading her tense muscles, Tara took a sip from the flask.  Then, after taking a drag from her cigarette and exhaling, she glanced down at her cell phone.  “I hate this feeling.  Not being able to do anything but wait.”</p>
<p>“We could always go to the prison and beat up on Drakken.”  Hope replied half-jokingly.</p>
<p>“Don’t think I haven’t thought about it.”  Tara replied with a crooked half grin.</p>
<p>“Look at this way, lyubov…” Sergei declared consolingly, “…if something bad had happened, Dr. Possible would have already called.  The fact that she has not called, might well be a good sign.”</p>
<p>“That’s a good point, Bestie.”  Hope chimed in.  “Sheila hasn’t given up on herself, so we shouldn’t give up on her—right?”</p>
<p>Putting out her cigarette, a grin slowly appeared on the blonde’s face, “You’re right.”  Taking both Hope’s and Sergei’s hands, Tara allowed herself to be lifted up by them from the ground.  As the trio walked back to the Renton house, Sergei in between his two lovers, his arms around their waists as they embraced him, she remarked, the jauntiness in her voice tone not really hiding the seriousness of her words, “You two do know I love you, don’t you?”</p>
<p>“We know, lyubov.”  Sergei responded, holding his blond lover close to him as the trio walked.</p>
<p>“Yeah, Bestie.”  Hope replied, “We love you too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’s the story on those three?”  Felix inquired, pointing gesturing at Sergei, Tara, and Hope who were at that time talking beneath a old oak tree with a thick canopy.</p>
<p>Breaking from their embrace on hearing their guildmate’s voice, Ron and Zita smirked.  “Oh…they’re…”  Ron blushed a bright red, “It’s…complicated.”</p>
<p>“What Bashful’s trying to say is that they’re sleeping with each other.”  Zita interjected with a crooked grin.</p>
<p>“Oh.” Felix exclaimed, further advising, “It might not be a bad idea for someone to tell them to low-key it around my folks.  They probably wouldn’t be cool with that sort of thing.  Then, spying the dark-haired girl handing a flask to the blonde, he further cautioned, “They definitely wouldn’t be cool with that if that flask contains what I think it does.  Nor would they be cool about Tara smoking.”</p>
<p>“We’ll tell ‘em.”  Zita assured, “Although I’m pretty sure they already know to keep it low-key.  We’ll also pass the word to Kim and Crys and Zoe.”</p>
<p>“Your parents don’t have a problem with Crys and Zoe—do they?”  Ron inquired in a low voice as he inclined his head in the direction of the two female lovers sitting down on the steps talking while discreetly holding each other’s hands.</p>
<p>“I don’t think so.”  Felix replied, “I can tell you I don’t if that’s what you’re worried about.”</p>
<p>“Of course, it isn’t!”  Ron exclaimed holding up his hands in a conciliatory gesture, “You knew they were going out with each other even before meeting them.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Zita affirmed, “We know you’re cool.  They do too.  No problems here.”</p>
<p>“Thanks.”  Felix grinned.  His smile vanishing, he added in a cautionary voice, “While I think my parents would be okay about the two of them going out with each other.  They’re not homophobes or anything like that.  You might want to…”</p>
<p>“Tell them to keep the PDA on the lowdown in front of them.”  Ron interjected with a crooked grin.</p>
<p>“Right.”  Felix nodded his head as he turned his attention to the other couple, Josh and Kim, currently engaged in a furious bout of tonsil hockey with each other underneath another oak tree.  “Might want to pass the word on to Kim and her boyfriend too.”</p>
<p>“We will.”  Ron replied with a slight incline of his head.</p>
<p>“Those two are just plain horny.”  Zita’s lips turned up in a wicked grin.  “Kim’s parents…her dad at least…are kinda like your folks.  So…when they get a chance to…you know…”</p>
<p>“What Zee’s trying to say is that you don’t want to leave them alone for too long.”</p>
<p>“Oh.”  Felix exclaimed with a crooked grin.  “Then it would definitely be a good idea to warn them to low-key it.”  Glancing down at his watch, he remarked, “Pizza should be here soon.  We might want to round everyone up.”</p>
<p>“Good idea.”  Ron nodded his head as he gestured towards Tara, Hope, and Sergei walking back to the house.  “Looks like those three are on their way back.  We’ll get Kim and Josh while you pass the word on to Crys and Zoe.”</p>
<p>“Sounds like a plan.”  Felix replied with a grin and nod of his head.  “Hurry up.  Pizza and soft drinks await.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Middleton Medical Center</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Talk to me, James!”  Ann called out to her husband as she saw the spike on her monitor.</p>
<p>“Feedback.” The rocket scientist responded as he hurriedly punched in a code on the keyboard of his device.  Letting out a breath of air as the signal once again stabilized, James explained, “Drew’s obviously put in a few defenses.  You must have triggered one with your latest probe.  You should be safe to continue but be very careful when you do your next probe.”</p>
<p>Glancing down at their patient, Dr. Guberman gently prodded his colleague, “You ready to continue, Ann?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Mrs. Dr. Possible answered back, “Let’s try out that new alpha wave neutralizer.  Be ready, James.”</p>
<p>“Ready when you are, Honey!”</p>
<p>Nodding her head once at her fellow surgeon, Ann took a deep breath, “Activate the neutralizer.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Shego’s Mind</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p>
<p>“The prosecution will prove to the jury that Sheila Marie Go, aka Shego, is an imposter, a poser, a fraud and a liar!”  Dr. Drakken, embracing his role as chief prosecutor waxed eloquently as he made his opening statements.  “While posing as a villain, she was in fact acting as a hero!”  After giving the assortment of gangsters, bullies, and villain henchmen in the audience their moment to gasp in shock, the blue-skinned villain continued his diatribe. </p>
<p>“That’s not true!”  Shego bolted out of her chair only to be forced back down by two burly henchmen dressed as court bailiffs.</p>
<p>“The defendant will remain silent!”  The judge exclaimed in that same hauntingly familiar voice.  “One more outburst and you will be bound and gagged.”  Turning her gaze to the prosecutor, the hooded justice spoke, “You may continue.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Your Honor.”  Drakken replied in an unctuous voice.  Gesturing at a movie screen on the wall, the blue-skinned villain declaimed in a loud voice, “Watch and you will see the evidence.  You will see for yourself that Shego, a so-called villain who I once trusted, is nothing but a fraud.  Her villainy nothing more than a sham.”</p>
<p>Shego sat motionless as the events of the past year played on the screen.  She ignored the gasps of outrage from the jurors’ box as they observed how she had subtly sabotaged her master’s schemes until, his presentation ended, the raven-haired woman was startled by the prosecutor’s accusatory voice as he dramatically pointed his finger at her.</p>
<p>“There is your imposter!  Your fake!  Your traitor!  There can be only one punishment for one such as her!’  The mad scientist declared as he displayed a small remote-control device, his thumb hovering over a giant red button.  Turning to the judge and jury, the prosecutor concluded his case.  “I await the inevitable guilty verdict.”</p>
<p>“How does the jury rule?”  The judge queried in a raspy voice.</p>
<p>“Hey!”  Shego bolted out of her chair, “Don’t I get my say?”</p>
<p>“Silence the traitor!”  The judge ordered as two henchmen forced the dark-haired woman back into her chair, binding her to it with leather bindings and shoving a gag into her mouth.  Turning her attention back to the jury, the justice again inquired, “Have you reached a verdict?”</p>
<p>“We have, your Honor.”  Duff Killigan, the jury foreman declared as he handed a piece of paper to the bailiff who then carried it over to the judge. </p>
<p>On receiving the folded paper, the judge unfolded it and read it.  Taking a deep breath, she announced in a clear voice as she pulled back her hood to reveal her face, causing the defendant to gasp in a mixture of astonishment, revulsion, and fear.</p>
<p>“This court finds Sheila Marie Go guilty as charged.  Prosecutor…do your duty.”</p>
<p>“With pleasure.”  Dr. Drakken replied with a malevolent grin on his face, addressing his final remarks at the defendant as he pressed the button.  “Goodbye, Shego.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Middleton Medical Center Surgery</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’re losing her!”  Dr. Guberman called out as the sine waves on the monitor spiked and then began a ferocious cycle of peaks and valleys. </p>
<p>“James?”  Ann exclaimed, looking up from her patient.</p>
<p>“Transmitting.”  James replied.  “The signal should interrupt the carrier wave.”</p>
<p>“Should?”  Ann shouted back.</p>
<p>“There’s always a risk in these things, dear.”  James calmly replied, “But if we’re going to save Ms. Go…”</p>
<p> “All right.”  Ann took a deep breath and then exhaled, “Let’s do this.  Ready, Dr. Guberman?”</p>
<p>“Ready, Dr. Possible.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Adjusting the amplitude modulation!”  James shouted as medical instruments.</p>
<p>“Phil?”  Mrs. Doctor Possible exclaimed, her attention fully riveted on their patient.</p>
<p>“On it, Ann.” The other neurosurgeon replied as he deftly wielded a surgical instrument.  “Got it.”</p>
<p>“James?”</p>
<p>“Matching oscillations!”  James called back, breathing a sigh of relief, “We’re in rhythm.  You can remove the device now.”</p>
<p>“Thank God!”  Ann sighed as she skillfully removed the last of the nanofibers connecting the implanted bomb to its host.  Removing the device, the redheaded neurosurgeon placed it in a sealed container as she motioned a nurse to her side.  “Take this to Marshall in Security.  Tell him to put it in a secure container and contact Global Justice about picking it up.  Also tell him I want a constant watch on that thing until it is gone.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Doctor Possible.”  The nurse deferentially replied as she moved quickly to comply with the doctor’s orders.</p>
<p>Looking down on her slumbering patient, the smallest traces of a smile appeared on the exhausted surgeon’s face.  “You’re going to be okay, Sheila.  Go to sleep.  We’ll talk when you wake up.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Renton Home</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So…the two of you live alone with no parental supervision.”  Mrs. Renton stated in a disapproving tone of voice once she had discovered that Tara and Hope were roommates.  “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”</p>
<p>“We’re financially independent—if that’s what you’re worried about and we’re both legally emancipated.”  Hope declared challengingly before taking a bite of cheese pizza.</p>
<p>“The state obviously thinks we’re competent enough to conduct our own affairs.”  Tara further countered, deliberately emphasizing her posh accent.</p>
<p>“What sort of work do you do?”  Mr. Renton inquired, not wanting to let go of the subject.  “Those cars I hear that you drive don’t come cheap.  How are two high school girls able to afford not only an Alfa-Romeo Spyder and a Mustang GT, but also a suburban house?”</p>
<p>Her lips turning up in a sly grin, Tara responded, giving her redheaded friend a sly wink, “We’re security consultants…just like Kim and Ron.”</p>
<p>“In other words,” Mrs. Renton frowned, “mercenaries.”</p>
<p> “If you like.”  Tara acknowledged, “Although we’re rather selective in our clientele.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Kim interrupted, coming to the aid of her friends, “We don’t work for the bad guys and if someone needs help and can’t afford it…”</p>
<p>“We help them.”  Ron interjected, joining the conversation.</p>
<p>Before Mrs. Renton could reply, four different Kimmunicators beeped simultaneously.</p>
<p>Answering hers first, Kim listened for a few moments before announcing, “Mom wants to make this a conference call.”  After her friends had made the necessary adjustments to their phones and nodded their heads, Kim spoke into her phone, “Okay, Mom…go ahead.”</p>
<p><em>“It was touch and go for a while…”</em> Mrs. Dr. Possible reported, <em>“But Shego’s going to pull through.”</em></p>
<p>“Thank God!”  Tara sighed as both Hope and Sergei placed comforting hands on her shoulders.  “Can I see her?”</p>
<p><em>“Give her a few hours to sleep off the anesthesia.”</em>  Ann replied and then inquired, <em>“Are you done at the Rentons?”</em></p>
<p>“Yeah, Mom.”  Kim replied as Felix nodded his head in affirmation.  “We’re just chillin’ eating pizza and guzzling down colas.”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Okay.  Why don’t you all come on to the hospital?  I need to tell you about something we found while we were working on Sheila.  By the time we’re done talking, she should be ready for visitors.  Don’t be surprised if she’s a little groggy though.”</em>
</p>
<p>“Cheeky’s always been a grouch in the morning.”  Tara laughed with a nervous hitch to her chuckle, earning raised eyebrows from Felix’s parents.  “We’ll be right over, Mrs. P.  And…” The young Englishwoman earnestly added, “Thank you.”</p>
<p><em>“Anytime, sweetie.”  </em>Ann replied in a gentle, soothing tone, <em>“It’s my job.”</em></p>
<p>“Sergei?”  Tara pleaded as she touched her Russian lover’s arm.</p>
<p>Nodding his head, the Russian responded positively as he touched both of his lovers’ hands, “Of course, my lyubovniki, I will take both of you and Kim to the hospital.”</p>
<p>Seeing the concerned look on his girlfriend’s face, Josh smiled warmly, “Go with them, Kim.  I can catch a ride back with either Zoe and Crystal or Ron and Zita.”</p>
<p>“We can take you home, Josh.”  Zoe volunteered as her cheerleader lover nodded her head in agreement.  Turning to Ron and Zita, the Asian dancer grinned, “Why don’t the two of you stick around and catch up with Felix and we’ll meet you online tonight at our usual time.”</p>
<p>“Works for us.”  Ron agreed as Zita concurred.</p>
<p>“Yeah, we’ll see you tonight and bring your A-game.” The lovely Latina grinned, “We’re raiding Xaltor’s Dungeon.”</p>
<p>After saying their goodbyes, Tara, Hope and Kim, accompanied by Sergei, made their way to the Russian’s car.  Seeing the worried look on her friend’s face, Hope gently inquired, “You okay, Bestie?”</p>
<p>Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Tara’s lips turned up in a wan smile as the group approached the car. “Better than I was, luv.  At least Cheeky’s out of danger now—that’s what’s important.  But…” She shook her head as her gaze fell on her redheaded friend, “I have to admit to some worry over the news your mother has, Kim”</p>
<p>“Same here, T.”  Kim responded with a nod of her head.  Sighing, she concluded as Sergei opened the doors for his female companions, “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Watching from their office as first Sergei’s car pulled out of the driveway, followed soon after by Zoe’s, Mr. Renton glanced at the remaining teen couple talking and laughing with their son.  “So, Honey, what do you think about Felix’s friends?”</p>
<p>“Ron’s changed from when he’s little.”  Mrs. Renton observed.  “From what I remember, he used to be practically joined at the hip with his friend, Kim.  But now…”</p>
<p>“They’re teenagers.”  Mr. Renton chuckled.  “He’s got a girlfriend and she’s got a boyfriend.  Nothing unusual in that.”</p>
<p>“Of course, Honey.”  Mrs. Renton chuckled, but as her thoughts turned to the other teenagers, her laughter subsided, “I am worried about those two girls…and Kim…”</p>
<p>Nodding his head, the concerned father concurred, “I think I see where you’re coming from Phyllis.  Am I correct in assuming that those two girls are involved in a three-way relationship with that Russian boy?”</p>
<p>“You are.”  Phyllis curtly replied through pursed lips.  “I also spotted that blonde girl smoking outside.  I definitely don’t approve of that.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  George Renton nodded his head in agreement, further commenting.  “I also thought I saw Kim taking a flask out of her purse before handing it to the blonde.  Five’ll get you ten that it wasn’t pop she was drinking.”</p>
<p>“Then there’s the whole matter of those girls being mercenaries.”  Phyllis pointed out.  “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with Felix hanging out with them.  I don’t want him or us to get sucked into their adventures.”</p>
<p>“Agreed.” George affirmed, “So…what do you want to do?  Forbid Felix from having anything to do with Kim or the other two girls and their boyfriends?”</p>
<p>“Hmmm…” Phyllis mused as she considered her husband’s suggestion.  “Much as I’d like to put my foot down and do just that, to completely bar him from associating with them is probably a little too drastic a solution at the moment.”</p>
<p>“It would also be hard for us to enforce.”  George acknowledged.  “He’ll be going to school with them and then there’s his online world…”</p>
<p>“Right.”  Mrs. Renton nodded her head.  “We can’t cut him off from either of those.  He’s really looking forward to starting school this fall and remember what it was like before we got him that <em>Everloft</em> game and his wheelchair?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Mr. Renton recalled, “He was withdrawn and depressed.  That guild he belongs to and the friends he’s made online like Zita, Ron, and those two girls—as well as the mobility of that chair you made for him—has changed his entire outlook a hundred and eighty degrees.  I’d hate to see all that wiped out because we acted a little too heavy handed too quickly.”</p>
<p>Sighing, Phyllis concurred with her husband.  “I don’t want to see him go back to the way he was.  So…for now at least…we’ll caution him about those girls and Kim, but otherwise we just monitor the situation.”</p>
<p>“Works for me.  If worse comes to worse, then Plan B is always available.”  George nodded his head in agreement as he gestured at Felix talking with Ron and Zita.  “We better get back to them before they come up with a plan to conquer the world or something worse.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Middleton Medical Center</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Tara…Hope…Kim…”  Dr. Ann Possible smiled warmly as the three teenage girls entered the hospital waiting room where she stood.  “Have a seat.  As I said on the phone, there’s something we need to talk about before I take you up to see Sheila.”</p>
<p>“Sure, Mom.”  Kim replied as she and the other girls did as the neurosurgeon requested.</p>
<p>“What is it, Mrs. P.?”  Hope inquired.</p>
<p>“Drew implanted a final deadman’s switch device into Sheila that was invisible to all of our standard scans.”</p>
<p>“Shit.”  Tara growled, “I take it you found and disarmed it?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”  Ann nodded her head, “James had the Space Center send over a prototype scanner that spotted it.  The device was also receiving and transmitting a signal…”</p>
<p>“The signal probably was a trigger.”  Tara assumed as Ann again nodded her head.</p>
<p>“Correct.  Thankfully, James was able to outfox the signal and the device was neutralized and removed—in no small part thanks to Dr. Guberman.”  Shaking her head, she remarked in a sincere tone of voice, “I couldn’t have done it without either James or Philip’s help.”</p>
<p>“So…how is she?”  Tara asked with a hitch to her voice.</p>
<p>“Recovering.  The nurse will take you and Hope to her room.  She should be up by now but expect her to be a little groggy.”  Ann’s lips turned up in a warm grin, her smile quickly vanishing as she turned her attention to her daughter.  “Kim…I don’t know how to say this, but I think…”</p>
<p>“You want to check to be sure that Drakken didn’t implant something similar into me.”  Kim concluded in a grim tone of voice.</p>
<p>Nodding her head, Ann affirmed, “Right.”  Letting out a sigh, she continued in a consoling tone, “But I don’t think we have anything to worry about.  From what you girls have told me and from what I’ve read from your reports, he didn’t have the time to do anything more than what he did. I just want to check to make sure.  Call it a mother’s prerogative.”</p>
<p>“What’s involved in this scan?  Are you going to have to…”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, it’s nothing invasive.”  Ann smiled warmly at her daughter.  “We’re just going to scan you using James’s device.  If nothing’s there, then you can join your friends up in Sheila’s room.”</p>
<p>“All right, Mom.”  Kim declared as the nurse arrived, “Let’s find out.”</p>
<p>“We’ll see you up in Sheila’s.”  Hope exclaimed with an encouraging grin.</p>
<p>“Right, luv.”  Tara smiled at her redheaded friend, “Come up after you get the all clear.”</p>
<p>“Tell Sheila I’ll be up soon.”  Kim responded as her friends departed with their nurse guide.</p>
<p>“Will do!”  Hope smiled back, “Good luck.”</p>
<p>As her fellow cheerleaders departed, Kim turned to her mother, “Okay, Mom.  Let’s find out if Drakken left me a package too.”</p>
<p>Placing a comforting hand on her daughter’s shoulder, Ann vowed, “Don’t worry, honey.  If there’s anything there, we’ll remove it.  I promise.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As the girls reached the door to Shego’s room, they found two familiar figures sitting down on either side of the door.  Her lips turning up in a sly grin, Tara greeted the two Global Justice agents who had briefly doubled as her foster parents.  “Hi Janet…Scott.  Don’t tell me Betty’s got you two standing watch.”</p>
<p>“Afraid so.”  Scott let out a brief chuckle.</p>
<p>Shaking her head, Janet let out a sigh, “Betty’s being paranoid.  Shego’s in no condition to run.  She’s connected to an IV and is groggy from painkillers.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Scott glumly agreed with a single nod of his head, “It’s rough seeing her like this.  I’m used to seeing her partying at the Kitty-Kat Club”</p>
<p>“She’ll get better before you know it.”  Tara declared, “Cheeky’s not one to miss a party.”</p>
<p>“We know.”  Janet smiled warmly at her former ‘foster daughter’ as she gestured towards the door.  “She’s up now and I think she’d like to see you both.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Scott affirmed, “Go on in.  And don’t worry…we’ll let Ms. Possible in when she gets here.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, luvs.”  Tara grinned as she kissed the GJ agents on their cheeks while Hope opened the door.  “You’re the best.”</p>
<p>Entering her old rival…friend…lover’s…room, Tara gasped as she saw her fellow adventuress lying on a hospital bed with an IV tube feeding fluids into her left arm as wires connected her to monitors that gently beeped.  As she approached, the blonde Englishwoman held back a sob as she heard her old lover’s greeting.</p>
<p>“Hey, Cutie.  Bring me any flowers?”</p>
<p>Quickly rallying herself, Tara responded with a crooked grin as Hope joined them.  “My roomie’s got the flowers.”</p>
<p>“Hey Sheila.”  Hope smiled as she placed a bouquet of roses and carnations into a vase.  “I’ve been working on my follow through.  Kicked Drakken right in the nut sack.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, Cheeky.”  Tara grinned as she gently stroked her old friend’s cheek.  “His balls are probably still black.”</p>
<p>Wincing as she laughed, Shego replied in a soft voice, “Thanks.”  Her laughter vanishing, she asked, “What happened to the Princess?  Is she all right?”</p>
<p>“Kim’s fine.”  Tara responded in a reassuring voice.  “She’ll be up here shortly.  Her mum’s just checking her out to make sure Drakken didn’t leave any parting gifts for her like he did for you.”  The blonde frowned as she felt her old lover shudder.  “What’s wrong, luv?  Want me to call the nurse?”</p>
<p>“No.”  Shego answered back in a hoarse whisper, “It’s just…”</p>
<p>“It’s okay, Cheeky.”  Tara cooed, “You can tell us.”</p>
<p>“You’re going to think I’m crazy.”  Sheila retorted, wincing as she tried to laugh.</p>
<p>“We already think that luv.”  The blonde Englishwoman quipped, “Now tell us what’s on your mind.”</p>
<p>“While they were taking that thing out of me…” Sheila confessed, “…I was…dreaming…hallucinating maybe…I don’t know…”</p>
<p>“Go on.”  Hope encouraged as she took the chair next to where her best friend was sitting.</p>
<p>“I was on trial.”  The raven-haired former henchwoman recalled, “Drakken was the prosecutor.  Killigan, the Senors, my brothers, Camille Leon, Dementor, and a few others were on the jury.  And the judge…the judge…” She shuddered as she repressed a sob.</p>
<p>“Who was the judge?”  Tara gently prompted as Kim entered the room.</p>
<p>Quickly picking up on her dark-haired fellow cheerleader’s gesture to remain silent, the teen hero walked softly to the sickbed and quietly sat in the remaining chair as Shego continued her tale.</p>
<p>“The judge was wearing a black robe with a hood for most of the trial, so I couldn’t see a face.”  Shego recalled, “But her voice…”</p>
<p>“Her?”  Kim interjected in a soft voice.</p>
<p>“Yeah, Princess.”  Sheila affirmed, “Her voice was raspy, but it was familiar, but for some reason I couldn’t place it.”</p>
<p>“Why were you put on trial?”  Hope inquired.</p>
<p>“For helping you.”  Sheila managed a strained laugh.  “I was charged with being a secret hero.”  After a moment’s pause, she concluded, “And I was found guilty and the judge pronounced sentence.  That was when she pulled back the hood and I saw her…I saw me!”</p>
<p>“You?”  Tara uttered.</p>
<p>“Me.”  Shego declared, “Only…I was older…there were streaks of gray in my hair.  And…” As her speech halted, Tara grabbed her hand and gently caressed it.  “And there was a hardness about her.  She…I…called herself the Supreme One and…Cutie…Cheerleader…Princess…when I looked into her eyes, I couldn’t see anything.  No love of life…no color.  It was like everything that makes me who I am was taken away from me.  It was horrible.”</p>
<p>“It was just a nightmare, luv.”  Tara consoled.</p>
<p>“Maybe.”  Sheila relented, “Or maybe it was a warning.  A vision.  Remember that thing Dementor and Drakken both tried to steal?”</p>
<p>“That pan-dimensional whatever?”  Kim interjected.</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Shego coughed.  “What would happen if they were to ever get something like that?  What would happen if Drakken were to use that thing and do something to twist me into…what I saw?”  Her eyes now taking on a panicked expression, she pleaded, “Cutie…please…please…don’t let that happen to me.  Kill me if you have to, but don’t let me become that thing!”</p>
<p>Three soft hands rested on Sheila’s hand.  “I promise…we promise…we won’t let that happen to you, Sheila.”  Tara gently cooed, “Rest now.  We’ll stay and watch over you.”</p>
<p>“Thanks Cutie.”  Shego gently sobbed, “You too Cheerleader…Princess.  Thank you.”</p>
<p>“Hey Cheeky…” Tara softly whispered as Sheila drifted off to sleep, “That’s what friends are for.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Intimate Details</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This part focuses more on the secondary characters, but there is some Kim/Josh elements and some Kim and Ron friendship bits as we get a peek into the private lives of some of the gang.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>Ron and Kim’s old tree house a few days before the events of chapter one</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Taking a sip of her cola, Kim fidgeted slightly as she regarded her best friend sitting across from her munching down on a naco.  “So…ummm…” The lovely redhead stammered, “When are your parents leaving for their trip?”</p>
<p>“Tomorrow.”  Ron replied after swallowing the gigante-sized naco.  “Their flight leaves for Miami at five tomorrow morning and I’m not expecting them back until Monday night.”</p>
<p>“So…” Kim hesitated for a moment before continuing, “…is Zita…”</p>
<p>“Spending the weekend?”  Ron blushed a deep crimson.  “Not the whole weekend—no way her parents would go for that!”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t think so.”  Kim nervously chuckled.</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  The blond youth responded, his face still beet-red.  “But she is staying with me tonight and we’ll be going to Felix’s together tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“How did you pull that off?”  Kim inquired before biting into her taco.</p>
<p>“She told a little gray lie.”  Ron answered back shyly, further explaining, “She told her parents that she’s sleeping over with Crystal and Zoe and they bought it.”</p>
<p>“And since Crys’s parents already know that she’s spending the weekend with Zoe...”</p>
<p>“It all works out.”  Ron affirmed.  “Of course, Crys’s parents don’t know that she’s really sleeping with Zoe.  If they ever found that out…”</p>
<p>“The shit will hit the fan.”  Kim finished, letting out a tiny burp.</p>
<p>“And how!”  Ron exclaimed before releasing an even louder belch.  Taking out a second naco from his carryout bag, the blond boy tore off a piece and handed it to a grateful Rufus before speaking once again to his best friend.  “So…you and Josh…ummm…have you two…you know…”</p>
<p>“Everything but that.”  Kim bashfully responded.  “We’re waiting for the right moment.  I’m on the pill, so that’s not the issue—it’s just…I want it to be right…you know what I mean?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Ron stammered, “Zita feels the same.”</p>
<p>“I thought you two…” Kim interrupted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not all the way.”  Ron chuckled nervously.  “I guess we’re kinda like you and Josh.  We’ve done everything except—and I’m okay with that.  I can wait.”</p>
<p>“You’re a good person, Ron.”  Kim smiled at her best friend before taking a bite from her taco. </p>
<p>Chuckling uneasily, Ron joked, “You know what’s funny?”</p>
<p>“What?”  Kim asked as she felt a rumble thanks to the tacos she just ate.</p>
<p>“I never figured we’d have this sort of conversation.”  The blond youth quipped, his face reddening.</p>
<p>“Yeah…” Kim, also blushing, replied, “But, I think it’s good that we can.  I mean…we always talked about everything when we were kids.  Now that we’re kinda well…we’re not kids anymore…I like it that we can talk about stuff like this.  I hope…” The young redhead briefly looked away as she spoke her next words, “I hope I’m not making you too uncomfortable when I talk about me…you know…”</p>
<p>“Hey, KP!”  Ron’s lips turned up in a shy grin, “It’s okay.  You know what’s funny?  I was worried about you feeling the same way about me talking about this sorta stuff.”</p>
<p>“You can talk to me about anything, Ron.”  Kim declared sincerely.  “I’ll always be here for you.”</p>
<p>“Same here, KP.”</p>
<p>“We’re best friends.”  Kim announced with a warm grin on her face as the pressure in her abdomen grew, “And that’s forever…right.”</p>
<p>“Right!”  Ron affirmed before cutting loose with a loud fart.</p>
<p>“Oh Ho!”  Kim exclaimed as she waved the air in front of her.  “So that’s the way it’s gonna be, huh?  All right!  It’s on!”  She declared as she let out a juicy fart of her own, “Let the farting commence and may the gassiest win!”</p>
<p>“No quarter!”  Ron declared as Rufus quickly hid inside a paper bag, holding his nose as he ran.</p>
<p>“No surrender!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I give up!”  Kim exclaimed after Ron let loose a particularly loud and powerful fart.  “No more!”  She laughed as the pair stumbled out of their treehouse.  “My eyes are watering.”</p>
<p>“The winner and still champ!”  Ron exulted as he pumped his fist.</p>
<p>“Yep.”  Kim chuckled as the two friends walked down the path together, “You’re the gassiest.”  After a brief period of silence, the young redhead pensively remarked, “It’s been a long time since we’ve done anything like that—you know, just being silly.  It was fun.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  The young man walking beside the teen hero acknowledged with a grin of his own.  “It’s been a busy year.”</p>
<p>“Tell me about it.”  Kim exclaimed with a sigh.  “Lots of changes both good and bad.  But you know something…”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>Speaking earnestly, Kim responded to her friend’s question.  “I wouldn’t trade a moment of it for anything in the world.  We got through all the shit we went through together.  Through everything…good and bad…we still stayed friends.  I’m thankful for that and like I said, I’m glad you’re my best friend.”</p>
<p>“And I’m happy you’re mine too.”  Ron answered back with a warm grin.  “We better be getting back.  We’ve got hot dates tonight.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Kim nodded her head as she smiled warmly at her best friend, “We better get going.  But let’s take our time and enjoy the walk—okay?  We’ve got plenty of time and I want to spend some more of it with my best friend.”</p>
<p>As the two friends walked the path together in comfortable silence, enjoying each other’s company, neither one spotted the shadowy figure covertly watching them from the safety of a clump of bushes.  As the solitary figure tailed the two heroes, she spoke softly through a vocal communicator.</p>
<p>“Sensei?  Are you sure this gaijin is the Chosen One?  He seems so…”</p>
<p>“So what, Yori-san?”</p>
<p>“So…ordinary.”  The young Japanese woman responded.</p>
<p>“You should know better than to judge by surface appearances, Yori-san.”  The voice, laden with wisdom, chided.  “Maintain your watch.  We must know if in fact he is the One or not.”</p>
<p>“Hai, Sensei.”  The young ninja acknowledged deferentially.  “I will comply with your wishes.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Jessica’s House that same day</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, are we still on for the beach next week?”  Steve Farley, shortstop for the Middleton High Mad Dogs baseball team asked as he played with a blonde lock of hair belonging to the attractive young woman cuddled up next to him on the porch swing.</p>
<p>“As far as I know, we are.”  Jessica Sundstrom, wearing little more than a blue halter top and a pair of very short shorts replied as she leaned into her boyfriend’s arms.  “I agreed to sit for Rachel’s kids this weekend in exchange for her taking care of mine next week.  What about you?  You clear everything with your folks?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Steve replied, “I promised my dad that I’d work extra shifts at the mini-golf course this weekend, so I’ve got next weekend off.”</p>
<p>“Cool.”  Jessica responded with a toothy grin.  Her smile disappearing from her face, she scowled, “Bad news is that Mom and Dad are making me stay with Aunt Tilly and she’s something of a…”</p>
<p>“I guess that means we’re gonna have to get creative then.”  Steve quipped as he gave his lover a quick kiss.</p>
<p>“Nothing we can’t handle.”  Jessica purred as her hands began to wander.  “And speaking of handling…”  She cooed as her boyfriend let out a sigh of pleasure, “Good thing I brought this blanket along with me…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Liz and Kevin a few days before the beginners chess tournament in Danville</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you sure I’m ready for this?”  Liz sighed dejectedly as she eyed her hopeless position on the chessboard.”  Tipping over her king, she announced in a somber voice, “Paul just kicked my ass.”</p>
<p>Smiling encouragingly, her boyfriend, Kevin Guberman responded, “Falling into that trap is nothing to be ashamed of, Liz.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, Liz.”  Paul added reassuringly as he extended his hand.  “Don’t feel bad.  Kevin caught me with it too when I was first learning.  Think of it as a rite of passage.”</p>
<p>“It’s a very subtle combination and very easy to stumble into.”  Mr. Amberson, who had been quietly and intently observing the game being played out by his students, remarked, adding his own words of support.  “But now that you know how it works, you’ll be ready to counter it.”</p>
<p>“And to spring it on some other unsuspecting player.”  Kevin interjected.</p>
<p>“And don’t worry about how you perform in the tournament.”  Mr. Amberson declared, “It’s a beginners match, so you’ll be facing players at your level.”</p>
<p>Liz smiled back at the math teacher and her fellow chess club members before giving her boyfriend a kiss on the cheek as she confessed with a rueful grin.  “Thanks for making me feel welcome, guys.  I gotta admit, I was scared to death when Kevin brought me here for the first time.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Kevin chuckled, “I remember…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Last year when Kevin and Liz first started going out…</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t think this is such a good idea…” Liz protested as her new boyfriend gently, yet firmly, guided her towards a classroom door.  “I know they’re gonna hate me—and they’ve got a right to.”  The lovely redhead confessed as tears began forming in her eyes, “I said and did some pretty bad stuff to you and your friends.  I wouldn’t blame them if they told me to get the hell out.”</p>
<p>“They’re not going to do that, Liz.”  Kevin responded, his eyes projecting nothing but confidence and sincerity.</p>
<p>“Really?”  The carrot-topped teenager retorted, her face reflecting her skepticism.  “Can you be sure of that?”</p>
<p>“No.”  Kevin reluctantly confessed, shaking his head gloomily. </p>
<p>“That’s what I thought.”  Liz sighed as she turned away, “But thanks for being honest.”</p>
<p>“Wait, Liz!”  Kevin pleaded as he gently grabbed his girlfriend by the wrist.  “Give them…and yourself…a chance.  Please.  Five minutes…” Seeing the doubtful look on the troubled young woman’s face, the slender youth quickly amended, “One minute…then.  Give it a minute or two…then…if you’re still unsure we…” Kevin emphasized his last word, “…will leave together.”  Taking a deep breath, he grasped Liz by the hand.  “So…”</p>
<p>“All right.”  The young cheerleader decided with a single nod of her head, “I’ll try.”</p>
<p>“That’s all I’m asking.”  Kevin smiled as he opened the door.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The present</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And…yeah…after a shaky beginning…they accepted you, didn’t they?”  Kevin remarked as a sardonic grin appeared on his girlfriend’s face.</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Liz responded with a chuckle, “After you and Dave all but threatened to quit and Mr. Amberson and Sergei intervened.”  Her laughter fading, she confessed, “I was bursting in tears and this close to running away…”</p>
<p>“I know.”  Kevin answered back as he gave his girl a quick embrace.  “I was ready to walk out right beside you.”</p>
<p>The smile returning to Liz’s face, she remarked, “And I still remember Mr. Amberson’s words…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The past</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What is she doing here?”   Paul Gertz, looking up from the game he was currently playing with Jermaine, protested as he spotted the chess club captain walking into the classroom hand in hand with the redheaded cheerleader.  “A couple of weeks ago her and those other two cheerleaders she hangs out with were laughing at me when a couple of jocks were teasing me.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Jeff Connors exclaimed, “I remember when she, the Queen, and that other cheerleader made fun of me and Dennis as we were walking down the hall before those basketball players...”</p>
<p>“She called me a loser and a nerd…” Dennis recalled, his face reddening, “And laughed when those dumb jocks stuffed me in the locker.”</p>
<p>“And covered my face with a jock strap.”  Jeff scowled bitterly</p>
<p>“I’m sorry.  I’m so…so…sorry!”  Liz interrupted, tears rolling down her cheeks as she gazed at the hostile faces, her hand now holding tightly on to that of her boyfriend’s.  “I don’t blame you all for hating me.  I wish I could take back all those horrible things I said and did.”  Her eyes now falling on those of the boy standing next to her, she sobbed as she felt in her heart that her new relationship was already starting to crumble, “I’m sorry, Kevin.  I knew it was a mistake coming here.  I’ll go now…you stay with your friends.  We’ll talk later.”</p>
<p>“We’re leaving together.”  Kevin declared as he again took his girlfriend’s hand in his.  “I’m sorry, Mr. Amberson, you’re going to need to get a new captain for the team.  I’d suggest Sergei or Dave.  They’re both at least ‘B’ rated players.  You won’t go wrong with either one.”</p>
<p>“Sorry, buddy.”  Dave Ponder announced as he rose from his seat and walked over to where Liz and Kevin were standing, “But if you and Liz go—then I’m walking too.”</p>
<p>Shaking her head, Liz sobbed, “Kevin…Dave…I don’t want you to quit on my account.  They’re your friends.”</p>
<p>“And you’re my girlfriend.”  Kevin replied in a gentle voice.</p>
<p>“You’re my friend.”  Dave declared, glaring at his teammates.</p>
<p>“Let’s go.”  Kevin quietly suggested as he took his girlfriend by the hand and guided her towards the exit.</p>
<p>As the three teenagers turned to leave, an accented voice belonging to a slender, athletic looking dark haired boy called out.  “Do not go, krasivaya zhenshchina…lovely woman.” </p>
<p>“Please, Ms. Magnusson…stay.”</p>
<p>Pausing at the sound of Mr. Amberson’s voice as well as that of the foreign youth, Liz felt a lump in her throat as the calculus teacher addressed the members of the chess club.</p>
<p>“Everyone in this classroom at one time or another has said or done something to hurt someone else at least once in their lives—more than once if we’re being honest with ourselves.  I know I have.  And we’ve all benefited from someone giving us a second chance.” The calculus teacher confessed as he looked kindly on the redheaded girl crying on the shoulder of the chess club captain.  “This young woman showed a great deal of courage by coming in here to face those she had wronged and ask for mercy.  I admire her for it, and you should too.  I ask you…no…I beg you…to please forgive her and accept her into your company.”  He then extended his hand to Liz, “Ms. Magnusson, on behalf of the Middleton High Chess Club, I welcome you.”</p>
<p>The young man who had earlier come to the defense of Liz then approached, “Welcome, tovarisch.  My name is Sergei, and I know we will become good friends, da?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”  Liz responded sheepishly as she shook the Russian’s hand.</p>
<p>“Welcome to the club, Liz.”  Dave Ponder smiled as he also took the cheerleader’s hand and shook it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The Present</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Everything worked out in the end.”  Kevin declared in a cheery voice as he smiled at his girlfriend.  “They love you now.  They even threw you a birthday party.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Liz smiled back, “I love the stuffed unicorn that everyone chipped in and bought for me.  Although I got a feeling someone’s mom probably picked it out.”</p>
<p>“I’ll let you in on a little secret…” Kevin whispered conspiratorially into her ear, “Jordan’s mom did.  They were originally going to buy you a video game—I think it was the new <em>Tunnels and Trolls </em>roleplaying game until she told them that wasn’t such a good idea.”</p>
<p>Laughing, Liz responded with a snort, “Yeah…that’s really more Crystal’s thing.”  Her laughter fading, the cheerleader commented, “You know…even though I was scared to death about how your friends would take the news of us going out with each other, what scared me more was…”</p>
<p>“How your friends would react.”  Kevin finished with a nod of his head.  “Yeah…I remember…”</p>
<p>“Oh…I knew Jessica, Tara, Hope, and Kim would be cool about it.”  Liz replied with an amused chuckle, “After all, Jess was talking you up all the time after she realized that she wasn’t going to be able to set you up with Tara.”</p>
<p>“You were more worried about how Bonnie and Marcella would react.”  Kevin sagely noted.</p>
<p>“Right.”  Liz recalled, “And Crystal too.  Gotta remember, at the time, no one knew she was going through her own issues with being gay, crushing on Zoe, and all, so I thought she’d be on the hate train along with B and M.”</p>
<p>“But she ended up being on our side.”  Kevin remarked fondly.</p>
<p>“Yeah.  I was worried about nothing where she was concerned, but it was still Bonnie and Marcella I was most anxious about because they’re the ones—other than Jessica—that I hung out with the most.  I can remember the moment it all hit the fan.”  She recalled, “It was just after Regionals and I was talking with Jessica…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The Past—Middleton High shortly after Regionals (about the time of the mind swap)</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well…that was weird.”  Jessica quipped as she and her redheaded friend walked down the hall together.</p>
<p>“What was?”  Liz joked back, “Stoppable almost single-handed winning the competition or Kim staying out of the limelight?”</p>
<p>“Both.”  The freckle-faced blonde replied, querying further as she tapped her temple with her finger in a thoughtful gesture, “When was the last time you saw Kim staying in the background?  Much less trusting Ron with the lead?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Liz nodded her head as she recollected, “I remember her—along with Bonnie—being the ones who were most opposed to him becoming the mascot.”</p>
<p>“All of us except for Hope and Tara were against it.”  Jessica sheepishly reminded her friend, remembering that she also wasn’t fond of the idea of the blond youth joining the squad.  “Not my finest hour.”</p>
<p>“Mine either.”  Liz confessed.  “I thought he was going to suck, but…” she further admitted, “…he showed us.”  Changing the subject, the redheaded cheerleader inquired with a wicked grin on her face, “So…you and Steve…”</p>
<p>“Me and Steve—what?”  Jessica responded with an evil smirk of her own.</p>
<p>“The two of you…how are you?”</p>
<p>“Getting along?”  The cheerleader chuckled, “If you’re asking what I think you’re asking—we’re not there yet, but we keep going at the pace we’ve been going it’ll probably be sooner rather than later.”  Changing the subject, Jessica asked, “So…what about you and Kevin?  How did it go at the chess club?”</p>
<p>“Rocky at first.” Liz sighed, “If you knew how close I came to running out of there…”</p>
<p>“What stopped you?”</p>
<p>“Kevin.” The redhead smiled warmly as recalled her boyfriend’s tenderness.  “He stuck up for me and then Mr. Amberson, along with Kevin’s friend, Dave, and Sergei joined him.  It was still tense for a while…” she admitted with a slight shudder, “…but everyone else began to slowly warm up to me.”  Taking a deep breath, she exhaled, “I still think I’m on probation though—not that I blame them.  I was pretty rough on them when I was hanging out with Bonnie and Marcella.  Speaking of which…” Liz groaned as she inclined her head towards the two cheerleaders approaching them.  “I guess it’s time to drop the bomb on them now too.”</p>
<p>“Don’t panic, Liz.”  Jessica whispered in an effort to rally her friend.  “I’ve got your back.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Jess.”  The redhead replied in a low murmur, “You don’t know how good that makes me feel.”</p>
<p>“Liz…” Bonnie drawled as she and Marcella approached, “Where were you yesterday?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Marcella interjected, “You missed the sportswear sale at Club Banana.  I got a brand new top and Bonnie picked up…”</p>
<p>“I got a new outfit that fits me perfectly.”  The teal-eyed cheerleader announced before pointedly turning her gaze on her redheaded teammate.  “So…where were you?”</p>
<p>“I was on a date…” Liz tentatively began.</p>
<p>“Really!”  Marcella squealed happily.  “With who? No…don’t tell me…let me guess.  It was Jeremy Wendell from the basketball team!”</p>
<p>“No.”  Liz shook her head making a face at the name of one of the jocks who had been a perpetual problem for Kevin and the chess club.  “Definitely not.”</p>
<p>“Dillon from track?”  The dark-haired cheerleader persisted.</p>
<p>“Can’t be him.”  Bonnie interjected, “Crystal mentioned having a date with him.”</p>
<p>“Didn’t work out between them.”  Marcella countered, “She called me last night and we talked.  She said that while they had a good time at the movies, that was all it was.”</p>
<p>“Oh…” Bonnie exclaimed before declaring in a haughty tone of voice, “We need to make sure she has someone suitable to go with her to my party next week.”</p>
<p>“What about Scott Furlong?”  Marcella cautiously ventured.</p>
<p>“Hmmm…”  The Queen Bee pondered her stooge’s choice.  “Tennis team…good looking…father’s an attorney…he’s a good choice.”  Turning her attention to Liz, she inquired, “I can set you up with Johnny Gaines from the football team.  He just broke up with Melody…”</p>
<p>“You don’t need to do that, Bonnie.”  Liz tentatively replied as she received a gentle poke in the ribs from the freckle-faced blonde standing next to her.  Taking a deep breath, the redhead declared, “I’m already going out with someone.”</p>
<p>“Who?”  Marcella bleated in a surprised voice, “Frankie Warren?  Hank Cooper?”</p>
<p>“Kevin Guberman.”  Liz blurted out.</p>
<p>“Who?”</p>
<p>“Kevin…” Liz enunciated slowly, emphasizing every syllable, “…Guberman.”</p>
<p>“Who’s he?”  The dark-skinned cheerleader inquired with a genuinely confused look on her face.</p>
<p>“He’s that nerd who’s hangs with Jessica’s boyfriend.”  Bonnie interjected with a derisive snort.</p>
<p>“He’s the captain of the chess team and he’s just joined the fencing team.”  Liz countered, “And he’s a nice boy.”</p>
<p>“He’s Steve’s best friend and he’s a good guy, Bonnie.”  Jessica declared, “A lot better catch than Jeremy, that’s for sure.”</p>
<p>“He’s a geek who barely even registers on the food chain and the only reason he does is because of Steve.”  Bonnie snapped back.</p>
<p>“Do you have any idea what this’ll do to your popularity once this gets out?”  Marcella warned, “You gotta ditch him—now.”</p>
<p>“Dump him…” Bonnie commanded before magnanimously offering, “…and we’ll pretend this never happened.  We can go on like before and I’ll fix it where Jeremy will be your date at my party.”</p>
<p>“And what if I don’t?”  Liz retorted with an angry scowl as Jessica prepared to back up her friend.</p>
<p>“Then I’ll make sure that you’ll never get invited to any of the cool parties ever again.”</p>
<p>“Well…” Liz growled as she balled up her fists, “You better start making those phone calls because I am not dumping Kevin.”</p>
<p>“And I’ll be making some phone calls of my own.”  Jessica warned, “The first one to Steve…then Kim, Tara, and Hope.”</p>
<p>“You do what you want to do, Bonnie!”  Liz exclaimed over her shoulder as she and Jessica walked away from the two other cheerleaders, “I’m going out with Kevin Guberman now and you and everyone else are just going to have to live with it!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The Present</em>
</p>
<p>“That was my declaration of independence.”  Liz declared proudly.</p>
<p>“No regrets?”  Kevin asked as the other members of the chess club finished their games and began the process of putting their pieces and boards away.</p>
<p>“None at all.”  The redheaded cheerleader responded as she gave her boyfriend a tender kiss.  “Now…let’s get going.”</p>
<p>Smiling, Kevin returned his girlfriend’s kiss as the pair waved goodbye to their friends, “See you all tomorrow!”</p>
<p>“See you tomorrow Mr. Guberman…Ms. Magnusson.”  Mr. Amberson smiled warmly as he cleaned his glasses.  “Have a good night.”</p>
<p>“So…” Liz coyly teased as she gently caressed her boyfriend’s cheek.  “Any ideas for tonight?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Kevin responded with a wicked grin.  “You…me…the scenic overlook…and not a chessboard in sight.”</p>
<p>“Sounds good to me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Jessica and Steve the following week</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You know where your room is Jessica.”  Aunt Tilly said as gestured towards a door down the hall and to the left.  “And yours, young man…” the stern-faced middle aged woman declared, opening the door they were standing in front of as she gave the boy standing next to her niece a suspicious glare, “…is here.”  She added pointedly inclining her head at the closed door next to Steve’s room.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Mrs. Riordan.    Steve politely replied, “I’ll go ahead and put my things away.”</p>
<p>“I’ll give the two of you a couple of minutes to get situated then you can join me and your cousin, Sandra…”</p>
<p>“Sandy’s here?”  Jessica asked, the surprised look on her face drawing an amused look from her aunt.</p>
<p>“Yes, Dear.  Your Aunt Dotty asked me if I could put her up for a few days while she and Terry went on a second honeymoon.”</p>
<p>“Oh.”  Jessica replied, hiding her disappointment behind a smile.  “Where’s she staying?”</p>
<p>Aunt Tilly grinned smugly, “In the middle room, of course.  She’s such a light sleeper, you know.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Jessica murmured, “I know.”</p>
<p>“Anyway…” The matronly aunt advised, “As I was saying, you two take a few minutes to get yourselves situated, then you can join us downstairs for milk and cookies.”</p>
<p>Waiting until Aunt Tilly was safely downstairs before speaking, Jessica scowled, “Damn.  I was afraid this would happen.”</p>
<p>“Afraid of what?  That your aunt would set up roadblocks?”  Steve asked as he stole a kiss from the freckle-faced blonde.</p>
<p>“Nah.”  Jessica replied as she and her boyfriend walked into the room he was assigned, cringing slightly as she heard her aunt’s shout to keep the door open.  “I was planning on that.  What I was hoping wouldn’t happen was her asking Aunt Dotty to keep Sandra for the weekend.”</p>
<p>“I thought she said that she was asked to sit for your cousin.”  Steve recollected.</p>
<p>“Normally, when Aunt Dotty and Uncle Terry have to go away, they leave Sandy with his sister—she’s closer and Uncle Terry gets along with her better than Aunt Tilly.”  Jessica explained, further hypothesizing, “Aunt Tilly’s using Sandy as an extra roadblock to keep us from doing what…”</p>
<p>“What we’re planning on doing?”  Steve flirted shamelessly.</p>
<p>“Precisely.”  Jessica responded with a wicked grin, “She probably asked Aunt Dotty to let Sandy stay over when she found out that you were coming with me.  If I’d have come with Liz or another girl, you can bet that Sandy wouldn’t be here now.  Aunt Tilly can go fuck herself.” The freckle-faced blonde declared in a defiant tone, “I have no intention of letting either her or Sandy stand in between me and what I’ve got planned for you this weekend, Mr. Farley.”</p>
<p>“I guess we’ll have to be creative then…” Steve chuckled as his hand slipped under his girlfriend’s skirt and on to her derriere, “…won’t we?”</p>
<p>“Guess we will.”  Jessica purred as her hand also wandered to a sensitive location on her boyfriend’s body.  “Mmmm…I see that Little Steve feels the same.”  Unfortunately, before things could proceed any further, a loud shout interrupted the horny couple.</p>
<p>“Jessica!”</p>
<p>Heaving a dejected sigh, the freckle faced cheerleader rolled her eyes, “Guess we better get downstairs before Aunt Tilly comes up here.  Don’t worry, baby.”  Jessica leered as she gave Little Steve a final tease, “We’ll definitely continue this discussion later.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thanks for the snacks, Mrs. Loman.”  Steve said as he finished off the last of his milk.</p>
<p>“So…are you two going to the beach now?”  Aunt Tilly inquired as she and Jessica cleaned up the table.</p>
<p>“Yes, Ma’am.”  The shortstop politely responded.</p>
<p>“Can I go to the beach, Aunt Tilly?”  Sandy, Jessica’s five year old cousin, pleaded as she finished munching on her cookie, washing it down with a glass of milk.</p>
<p>“That’s up to your cousin.”  The matronly aunt replied as she gave her other niece a pointed look.</p>
<p>“Will you take me with you Jessica?  Please!!!  Please!!!”  The little girl pleaded with wide open eyes.</p>
<p>Not missing the unspoken command in her aunt’s gaze, the freckle-faced cheerleader took a deep breath and exhaled, “All right, Sandy.  You can come with us.  But you’ve got to promise that you’ll be good and do what we tell you.”</p>
<p>“I promise!”  The little girl replied with a big smile on her face as she crossed her fingers behind her back, “I promise!”</p>
<p>“Pinky swear.”  Jessica demanded, holding out her pinky as she was perfectly aware of the tricks pulled by five year olds thanks to her babysitting experience.</p>
<p>“Do I have to?”  The little girl, pouting because her cousin had figured out her scheme, protested.</p>
<p>“If you’re going to the beach with us, you do.”  Jessica persisted as Steve barely held back the grin that threatened to appear on his face.</p>
<p>“All right!”  Sandy frowned as she grudgingly held out her pinky.  “Pinky swear.”</p>
<p>“Good.” Jessica nodded her head as she held out her pinky.  “And I want to see the other hand.  No sneaky finger crossing.”  After her cousin had reluctantly complied with the experienced babysitter’s terms, Jessica turned to her boyfriend, “I’ll get changed and meet you downstairs, ‘kay, loverboy?  Got a surprise for you.”</p>
<p>“Can’t wait.”  Steve smiled back, “See you in a few.”</p>
<p>Arriving at the beach, Jessica removed her wrap to reveal…</p>
<p>“A teensy-weensy yellow polka-dot bikini?”  Steve laughed as he gazed lasciviously at his girlfriend wearing the smallest and skimpiest bikini he had ever laid eyes on.</p>
<p>“You like?”  Jessica teased as she did a quick pirouette, chuckling as her boyfriend simply nodded his head.  “Be a good boy and help me tire out Sandy and you might get to see me take it off.”</p>
<p>“Cousin Jessica!  Help me build a sandcastle! Please!”</p>
<p>The mood broken; the lovely blonde sighed as she turned towards her cousin who was already shoveling sand into a little pail.  “All right, Sandy!”  Turning back to her boyfriend, she gave him a rueful grin, “We’re on our way.”</p>
<p>After several hours of making sandcastles, body surfing, playing hide and seek, and otherwise trying to entertain a hyperactive five year old girl, the two teenage lovers finally managed to catch a break as the little girl slumbered peacefully in the back of the car that Steve had borrowed from his father.</p>
<p>“How can one little girl have so much energy?”  Steve joked keeping his voice low so as not to awaken the little girl.</p>
<p>“I think it had something to do with all those cookies she ate.”  Jessica replied as she leaned her head on her boyfriend’s shoulder.  Sighing, she apologized, “I’m sorry.  I was hoping she’d have gotten tired earlier so that we could have had some time to ourselves.”</p>
<p>“Hey…it’s all right, baby.”  Steve whispered back.  “It’s obvious both our parents, your Aunt Tilly, and your Aunt Dotty all got together to keep us from…”</p>
<p>“Misbehaving?”  Jessica teased as she slipped her hand under her boyfriend’s t-shirt.”</p>
<p>“Exactly.”  Steve whispered back as his hand also wandered. “So…got any ideas?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Jessica murmured.  Giving the backseat a momentary glance, she sighed in relief at the sound of gentle snoring.  “Tonight.”  She promised, “I’ll slip into your room.”</p>
<p>“What about Aunt Tilly’s detection grid?” Steve inquired, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“I’m no Kim Possible or Tara King or Hope Rossi…” Jessica quipped, “But I think I can sneak around that creaky plank in the floor.  So…get ready for a special surprise tonight.”</p>
<p>“Looking forward to it.”  Steve leered as he put the car in gear.  “So…what say we take the kid to J.P. Bearymore’s to make sure she’s fully tuckered out by the time she gets home.”</p>
<p>“If you can put up with the Bear and the rest of his zoo…” Jessica joked, “I guess I can too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Later that night</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lying in bed, Steve heard the door to his room creak and then then soft footpads followed by a whispered “Shhh…we don’t want to wake up Sandy or Aunt Tilly.”  Looking up, the young man saw his blonde girlfriend bathed in dim light wearing a trench coat.</p>
<p>“Hi, baby.”  He murmured, “I almost gave up on you.”</p>
<p>“Had to wait until everyone else was asleep.”  Jessica whispered, her voice now taking on a sultry tone as she sauntered over to the bed.  Smirking, she looked down on her boyfriend as she unbuttoned her coat and let it slip off her naked body on to the floor.  “Surprise.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Crystal and  Zoe</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just about done.”  Crystal said into her phone as she applied the finishing touches to her makeup.  “I’ll meet you at the door.”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Just wanted to tell you that you looked gorgeous last week when we went to the Expo.”</em>
</p>
<p>“You did too.”  Crystal responded as she spied her mother out of the corner of her eye pretending not to be eavesdropping on her conversation.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Let me guess…one or both parents are in earshot and probably listening in.”</em>
</p>
<p>“You got that right.”  The tawny-skinned cheerleader chuckled as she lowered her voice to just above a whisper, “…Mom’s in the hallway so I gotta keep it clean.”</p>
<p>
  <em>“I understand.  I’ll be there in a jiff.”</em>
</p>
<p>“Cool.  See ya, soon.  Bye!”</p>
<p>“Who was that?”  Crystal’s mother called out to her daughter.</p>
<p>“Zoe, Mom!”  The lovely cheerleader answered back as she picked up her handbag and exited the room.  “She’s coming by to pick me up and then we’re going to Old Town.”</p>
<p>Shaking her head, the older woman nagged, “Zoe again?  Isn’t there some nice boy you’d rather go out with?”</p>
<p>Heaving a dejected sigh at yet another not so subtle hint from her mother to find herself a boyfriend, Crystal replied, “No, Mom.”</p>
<p>“What about that Dillon boy?  He seems to be a good boy and well behaved.  What happened with you two?  You went out on one or two dates and then…nothing.  What went wrong?”</p>
<p>“We had this conversation a few days ago, Mom!”  Crystal groaned.  “He’s a nice guy and he’s a friend, but that’s it.”</p>
<p>“What about those other boys?  Jeremy? Randy? Jason?”  Her mother persisted, not wanting to let the subject go.</p>
<p>“They’re not my type.”  Crystal bluntly responded.</p>
<p>“So what is your type?”  The older woman countered as the doorbell rang.</p>
<p>“That’s Zoe, Mom.”  Crystal sighed in relief as she made for the door.  “I’ve gotta go now.  See ya!”</p>
<p>Watching as her daughter left with her coed friend, Mrs. Edwards turned to her husband. “Honey…I think there’s something wrong with our daughter.”</p>
<p>“What do you mean?”  Nathan Edwards replied.  “She doesn’t look ill to me.”</p>
<p>“Oh…not physically.”  Naomi Edwards explained, “I mean…when was the last time you remember her going out on a date?”</p>
<p>“Hmmm…two…three months ago.”  Nathan responded, “Why?”</p>
<p>“You don’t think she could be…” Naomi hesitated, not wanting to complete her question.</p>
<p>“Could be what?”</p>
<p>“You know…” Mrs. Edwards hemmed and hawed, “…one of those girls who don’t like boys…”</p>
<p>“You mean homosexual?”  Nathan replied with a laugh, “Nah…course not.  She’s just picky—that’s all.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know…” Naomi shook her head, “She never goes out on dates and hangs out with Zoe all the time.  What if she and that girl are really…”</p>
<p>“There’s nothing to worry about, Dear.”  Mr. Edwards said in a soothing voice as he returned to the book he was reading.  “It’s as she said, she just hasn’t found the right boy yet.  Give her time.”</p>
<p>“Maybe…” Naomi reluctantly conceded with a cautionary note, “…maybe not.”  Sitting down at the desk where the family computer was located, the concerned mother began typing.</p>
<p>“What are you doing, Honey?”  Nathan called out as he saw his wife peering at the monitor and jotting down information on a notepad.</p>
<p>“Nothing, Dear.”  Naomi answered back, “Just looking up some stuff on the web.  I’ll be done in a moment.  Go on back to your book.”  Nodding her head in satisfaction as she found the information she was searching for, the worried mother got up and slipped her notepad into the desk drawer.  Calling out to her husband, she asked, “I’m going to the kitchen.  You want some coffee?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Old Town District—Norma Jean’s Book and Coffee Shop</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mom was nagging me about not going out on dates again.”  Crystal groaned as she sipped her coffee.  “Sooner or later she’s gonna put two and two together.”</p>
<p>“So…what do you wanna do?”  Zoe asked as she placed her hand over that of her lover’s, “Come out?”</p>
<p>“Might not have a choice.”  Crystal responded with a sigh.</p>
<p>“Well…whatever you decide, I’m with you, baby.”  Zoe declared with a warm smile before leaning over the table to give her girlfriend a gentle kiss on her forehead.</p>
<p>“Thanks, Zee.”  Crystal smiled back.  “So…pick up our comics and then check out the vintage clothing shop and lunch?”</p>
<p>“Sounds like a plan.”  Zoe grinned as the pair got up out of their seats and left a tip for their waitress.  “Hopefully, Mikey will have the next issue of <em>Erewhonian Knights</em> in.”</p>
<p>“One can dream.”  Crystal laughed, holding hands with her girlfriend as they exited the bookstore, giving a wave to the owner, Jenell, as they walked out the door.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Bonnie and Monique</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m gonna give Bonnie a call and see if she wants to hang out today.”  Monique told her father as she helped him clean up the table after breakfast.</p>
<p>“What are you planning on doing with her today?”  Daniel Moreau, Monique’s father, inquired as he placed the dishes that his daughter had rinsed into the dishwasher.</p>
<p>“I was thinking we might go to Old Town.”  Monique replied as she continued to rinse dishes.  “There’s a vintage clothing store I want to check out and I know that there’s a little jewelry shop that Bonnie would like.”</p>
<p>The last of the dishes placed in the dishwasher, Daniel turned on the machine.  “Have a good day, darling and say hi to your friend for me.”</p>
<p>“Will, do, Dad.”  Monique replied with a grin as she tapped the speed dial on her phone.  “Hey, B! How’s it hangin’?  Got any plans for today?”</p>
<p>Gritting her teeth at the smarmy looks being given to her by her sisters, Bonnie answered back, lowering her voice so that siblings and parents couldn’t hear, “Not really.  Please tell me you’ve got something lined up.”</p>
<p>“YBYBIDGF”  Monique declared, translating, “You Bet Your Butt I Do Girl Friend.  How does spending the day hanging out at the Old Town District sound to you?”</p>
<p>Her eyes drifting to Connie and Lonnie quietly gossiping and giggling as they pointed at their little sister, the teal-eyed cheerleader responded, “Sounds perfect.”  Raising her voice, she called out to her mother, “Mom?  I’m gonna spend the day with Monique.”</p>
<p>“Where are you going, Dear?”  Mrs. Rockwaller queried as she hushed her two older daughters.</p>
<p>“Old Town.  I’ll be back by dinner.”</p>
<p>“All right, Bon-Bon.  But be sure you’re back by dinner, I’m fixing pot roast.”</p>
<p>“Okay, Mom!”  Bonnie promised as she turned her attention back to the phone, “Mom said it’s okay, M.  I’ll pick you up at your place in half an hour.”</p>
<p>“See ya soon, GF!”</p>
<p>“Later, M.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Bonnie</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Going out with your boyfriend, Bon-Bon?” Connie teased as her sister walked past her.</p>
<p>“Did you forget, Connie?”  Lonnie interjected in a mocking voice, “Her ‘boyfriend’ hasn’t called her in two weeks!”</p>
<p>“Guess the quarterback found someone better.”  Connie replied, taunting her little sister as she walked past.</p>
<p>“Guess so.”  Lonnie answered back, chuckling at the expression on Bonnie’s face as she walked by her.</p>
<p>“Don’t you two have something better to do?”  Mrs. Rockwaller growled, coming to the defense of your youngest daughter.  “If not, I can find something for you.”</p>
<p>Trying her best to ignore her sisters’ taunts as she walked by them, Bonnie recalled her last conversation with Brick…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Bonnie and Brick</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t want you wandering off with the other boys at the Fourth of July picnic this year as you did last year…” Bonnie began to lecture only to be cut off by her boyfriend.</p>
<p>“Ummm…Bonnie…” Brick stammered, “I don’t think we should go to the picnic together this year.”</p>
<p>A look of astonishment on her face, the teal-eyed cheerleader demanded, “Why not?  Your folks aren’t going out of town, are they?”</p>
<p>“No.”  The quarterback shook his head, “I just think we need a break from each other.  I got things I need to think over.”</p>
<p>“You!”  Bonnie laughed derisively, “Think?  Talk about your oxymorons!”</p>
<p>“Hey!”  Brick yelled, “You don’t have to call me names! Okay, maybe I’m big and I’m not too smart.  But I’m not an ox or a moron!”</p>
<p>“No!  You’re an idiot!”  Bonnie snapped back as her lips curled up into a sneer, “Get out of my sight.  Now!”</p>
<p>“All right, Bon…I’m leaving.”  Brick replied with a shake of his head.  “Take care of yourself—okay.”</p>
<p>“Loser.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Bonnie and Monique—On the way to the Old Town District</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Give him a week or two, GF, and he’ll come crawling back.”  Monique said from the passenger seat of Bonnie’s new BMW sports coupe.</p>
<p>“Oh, I know.”  Bonnie confidently affirmed, “He always does, and it always ends the same way.  He comes over with flowers and begs me to take him back.  Then I make him take me out to the most expensive restaurant in town.  After that, I make him wait on me hand and foot for a couple of weeks and then everything’s back to normal.”</p>
<p>“You got that boy well trained, B.”  Monique replied as she touched up her makeup.</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  The teal-eyed cheerleader responded.  Then, after a moment’s hesitation, she spoke in an almost pleading voice, “Ummm…can I get your take on something?  Something that you gotta promise not to talk to anyone else about?”</p>
<p>“Sure, girlfriend.”  The mahogany skinned teen answered back.  Go ahead and lay it on me.”</p>
<p>“It’s my father…” Bonnie reluctantly confessed, “I think…no…I know…he’s having another affair.”</p>
<p>“Shit.”  Monique cursed in a sympathetic tone.  “You sure, girl?  Absolutely sure?”</p>
<p>“Not a hundred percent…” The cheerleader admitted, “But the last time he acted like this, he was.”</p>
<p>“Okay…” Monique gently probed, “So what’s he doing that’s making you think he might be cheating on your mother?”</p>
<p>“I saw a brochure on his desk when I visited him at his office last week.”  Bonnie recalled, “It was for a villa in the Caribbean.  Then, later on, at dinner, that same day, he tells us he’s going on a ‘business trip’.”</p>
<p>“Gotta admit…” Monique commented, adding a confession of her own, “…it looks suspicious.  When my Momma was cheating on Dad, she did the same thing.”</p>
<p>“So that’s why…”</p>
<p>Nodding her head, the chocolate-skinned young woman admitted, “Yeah.  It was a few years ago.  There was a lot of yelling and then a few days where Mom and Dad didn’t talk to each other.  Then…one day…Mom was gone…and I haven’t seen or heard from her since.”</p>
<p>“Damn.”  Bonnie gasped, “I remember us talking about your parents being divorced, but this is the first time you told me why…”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Monique nodded her head, “Dad got custody—Mom didn’t put up a fight—I don’t think she wanted us anyway.  Just as well…” the young teen declared, her lips curling up in a sneer, “…cause I don’t wanna see that two-timin’ ho ever again.”</p>
<p>“Is that why your Dad moved here?”</p>
<p>Nodding her head, Monique affirmed, “Yeah.  Him and Mom worked for the same company, so they knew the same people.  Things got…tense…at work.  People started taking sides, so when his manager told him about a position opening up here, he took it.”</p>
<p>“Looks like we’ve both got messed up families.”  Bonnie commented as they reached their destination.</p>
<p>“It’s not all bad.”  Monique responded in an upbeat tone.  “Me…Dad…Eugene…we’re happy here. Got a good friend…” she said as she gave the teal-eyed cheerleader next to her a warm smile, “…got a good job doing what I love to do.  Going to a good school.  Things coulda been a lot worse.”</p>
<p>“Yeah…I guess you’re right.”  Bonnie replied as she parked the car and the two teenagers got out.  “I’m kinda curious though…why do you wanna go to that vintage clothing store.  All it’s got are hand-me-downs and a bunch of geezer junk.”</p>
<p>“Retro’s coming back in style.”  Monique replied, “And we wanna get ahead of the trends—right, girlfriend.”</p>
<p>Nodding her head in agreement, Bonnie replied in the affirmative, “Right.  So I guess it’s bargain bin shopping today.”</p>
<p>Laughing, Monique consoled, “It’s not all bad.  What I’m really looking for are patterns and ideas for designs.  I was also thinking that maybe we could grab a cup of coffee at that coffee shop/bookstore your friend Crystal hangs out at.”</p>
<p>“Sounds like a plan.”  Bonnie agreed.  “Let’s go.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Old Town</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I almost forgot how good your pollo sandwiches are Benigno.”  Crystal smiled as she lit an herbal cigarette.</p>
<p>“It has been a while since you’ve come by, nina.” </p>
<p>Heaving a sigh, the tawny skinned cheerleader apologized, “I’m sorry.  I’ve been kinda…”  As her face blushed a brilliant crimson, her girlfriend interjected with a gentle chuckle.</p>
<p>“It’s my fault, Benigno.  I’ve been keeping her all to myself for the past week or so.”  Zoe confessed as she lit a cigarette of her own.</p>
<p>“Young love.”  The Puerto Rican owner of the food truck smiled he prepared his favorite customers’ orders.  “So…how are my ninas doing otherwise?”</p>
<p>“Pretty good.”  Crystal replied as she exhaled a plume of smoke.  “Gaming, reading my comics, and taking easy with my girlfriend this summer.”</p>
<p>“No complaints here either.”  Zoe interjected as she squeezed her girlfriend’s hand.  “Tips have been good at the club.  Just chillin’ with my girl, doing some gaming, and taking a break from my classes.”</p>
<p>“Enjoy this time, mi ninas because it ends all too quickly.”  Benigno advised as he presented both of his customers with guava turnovers as desert.  “Please…take…on the house.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Benigno.”  The two young women replied as they took the treats and gave the cook a kiss on the cheek.  “You’re the greatest.”</p>
<p>“Go with God, mi ninas.”</p>
<p>As the pair walked away, Crystal smiled at her girlfriend, “So…wanna check out Ciera’s?  See if she’s got anything new?”</p>
<p>“Sounds like a plan.”  Zoe replied with a chuckle, “Maybe she’s got something that’ll go with that eighties dress I bought last week.”</p>
<p>“I’m looking for something seventies style.”  Crystal replied, “Maybe some flared jeans and platforms.”</p>
<p>“Well…”  Zoe smirked, “Let’s go see.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Lost in Time Boutique”—vintage clothing shop</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, girls!”  Ciera, a slender dark-haired olive-skinned woman called out from behind the register as Crystal and Zoe entered her shop.  “How goes?”</p>
<p>“Hey, Cee…” Zoe smiled as she waved at the woman behind the counter, “Anything new for us?”</p>
<p>“Looking for something with a seventies vibe.”  Crystal interjected with a grin.</p>
<p>“Got a blue sleeveless jumpsuit with a halter top and matching platforms with your name on it, girl.”  Ciera chuckled as she escorted her customers to a rack and pulled out the jumpsuit.  “Try it on.”</p>
<p>Watching as the tawny skinned cheerleader entered one of the changing booths, the store owner turned to her other customer.  “Crys seems to be in good spirits.”</p>
<p>“It’s been a good day today.”  Zoe responded as two other girls entered the shop, recognizing the girls, the Asian dancer’s eyes narrowed, “Until now.”</p>
<p>“What?  Those two teens?”  Ciera inquired before heaving a sigh, “Let me guess—they’re part of the mean girls club.”</p>
<p>“President and vice-president.”  Zoe acknowledged with a slight shake of her head.  “The brunette is on the cheerleading squad with her and the other girl always hangs with the brunette.  The third member of their pack is missing.”</p>
<p>“Well…they better not start anything here or they’ll be wearing my boot prints on their asses for a week.”  Ciera declared with a grimace as the two teens approached.  Plastering a smile on her face, the storeowner greeted her new customers.  “Welcome to Lost in Time Boutique.  Anything I can help you with?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Monique responded with a grin, “I was hoping you’d have some patterns…”</p>
<p>“Sure.”  Ciera replied, her insincere smile now showing a degree more warmth.  “We’ve got some in the back.”  Motioning at an employee, the store owner called out, “Janice?  Wanna come over here?  Got a customer who needs some help.”  As a blonde haired girl approached, Ciera explained, “I’m waiting on a customer to finish changing, but Janice can show you where the patterns are and can help you.  She’s our resident expert when it comes to designs and alterations.”</p>
<p>“Terrific.”  Monique exclaimed.  Turning to Janice, she smiled, “I’m all yours.”</p>
<p>Nodding her head once, Janice gestured towards the back of the store.  “Come with me.  We’ve got a variety of patterns in stock.  What are you most interested in?”</p>
<p>Watching as her employee walked off with the dark-skinned teen, the store owner turned to the other newcomer, “Anything I can help you with?”</p>
<p>“No.”  Bonnie shook her head, “I’m just here because of Monique.  You’ve got nothing that interests me.”</p>
<p>“Suit yourself.”  Ciera replied as the genuine smile that had appeared on her face quickly vanished.  Turning to Zoe, the smile returned as she ignored the teal-eyed teenager, “So…you and Crys planning on a seventies themed party or something?”</p>
<p>“Mmmm…” Zoe spent a few moments pondering her friend’s question before responding, “You know…that’s not such a bad idea.  Maybe have it at the club? We’re going into our slow season soon.  I’ll talk to Max about it and see what he thinks.”</p>
<p>“Cool.”  Ciera replied as Bonnie, with a bored look on her face, studiously examined her nails.  Lowering her voice to a whisper, the store owner whispered in her friend’s ear, “That girl always such a bitch?”</p>
<p>“From what I’ve seen and from what Crys tells me…” Zoe whispered back, “…yeah.  She’s scared of me, so she doesn’t mess with me or with Crys now—although she used to before I came on the scene.  Same with Tara and Hope…she knows they’ll knock her on her ass.  But she likes to throw her weight around with some of the others.”</p>
<p>“Like I said earlier, I’ll let her stay here as long as she behaves herself, but the moment she starts any shit—she’s outta here.”  Ciera, still speaking in a whisper, declared.  “What about the other girl?  She doesn’t seem as bad…what’s her story?”</p>
<p>“Hanger on.”  Zoe murmured.  “She tried to latch on to a mutual friend of ours, but our friend caught on to her, so she moved on to Bonnie, who never turns a groupie away.”</p>
<p>“Maybe…” Ciera pondered, “But I got a feeling there’s something else—that she might not be as bad as you might think.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps.”  Zoe allowed, “Perhaps not.  I do know that she’s got some sort of problem with Tara and Hope.”</p>
<p>“Did anyone ask her what her problem with them might be?” Ciera asked, still maintaining a whisper so as to keep their conversation private.</p>
<p>“No…not that I know of.”  Zoe admitted.</p>
<p>“Well…maybe someone should” Ciera advised as Crystal, wearing the seventies-style jumpsuit and shoes that she chose, approached.  Nodding her head in approval as she appraised the cheerleader, the storeowner remarked in a normal conversational voice, “Looks good on ya, Crys.”</p>
<p>“Really?”  Crystal responded happily as she did a pirouette.  “You really think so.”  Turning to her lover, she remarked coyly, batting her eyelashes, “So…you like what you see?”</p>
<p>“Definitely, baby.”  Zoe exclaimed with a lecherous grin on her face, the couple ignoring the pointed glance coming from the teal-eyed cheerleader watching silently.  “You should wear it when we go out dancing tonight.”</p>
<p>“I will.”  Crystal replied with a grin as she took some cash out of her purse and handed it to Ciera.  “I’ll take the outfit and shoes.”</p>
<p>“Cool.”  Ciera answered back, “I’ll throw in a purse for the outfit free of charge.”</p>
<p>Returning from the back room, Monique, with a big smile on her face, held up a bag.  “You ought to see what they’ve got back there, B!  I think I picked up enough patterns to inspire me to make a hundred…okay…more like a few dozen…outfits.  Not to mention the clothes they’re still refurbishing.”</p>
<p>“Monique’s got a good eye for style.”  Janice declared with a grin of her own.  “She’s wasting her talent working for a chain like Club Banana.”</p>
<p>Staring at her fellow cheerleader and the Asian woman standing next to her, the couple well within each other’s personal space, Bonnie caustically remarked, “Are you two going out with each other or something?”</p>
<p>Before her lover could say a word, Crystal spoke in a clear, defiant, tone, challenging her fellow cheerleader as well as Monique, daring them to object,  “Yeah, we are Bonnie…Monique.  Zoe’s my girl and we’ve been going out for some time now.  And yeah—I’m gay.  Wanna make something of it?”</p>
<p>“What my girlfriend said.”  Zoe declared as she slipped her arm around Crystal’s waist.  “You wanna start trouble—bring it.  I’ve kicked tougher and meaner than the two of you.”</p>
<p>Before Bonnie could utter a word, she felt a hand on her shoulder.  Turning about, she saw Monique gently shake her head, “You don’t really wanna do it or say it, GF.”  The dark-skinned teen gently advised, “Come on…I’ll buy ya a cup of coffee and we’ll talk—okay.”</p>
<p>As her fellow cheerleader and the other teen left the store, Crystal heaved a sigh of relief, “Well…I guess I’m out now.”</p>
<p>“I know it wasn’t easy, dear.”  Zoe murmured, “But…for what it’s worth, I’m proud of you.”</p>
<p>“Now comes the hard part.”  Crystal took another deep breath and exhaled, “Breaking the news to my parents.”</p>
<p>“Want me to come with?”  Zoe asked as she brushed aside a lock of her girlfriend’s hair.</p>
<p>“Please.”  Crystal smiled back.  “I think I’m gonna need you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Monique and Bonnie</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Shaking her head, Bonnie sipped her coffee.  Setting her cup down, her face twisted into a grimace as she spoke, “I can’t believe Crystal is a dy…”</p>
<p>“Don’t finish that sentence.”  Monique advised in a low voice.  “You gotta be careful here, GF.  Crys is pretty popular with a lot of people.  Start slingin’ mud, and it’s liable to backfire on you.”</p>
<p>“So…what should I do?”  Bonnie protested, “Just go on like nothing’s wrong?”</p>
<p>“That’s exactly what you do.”  Monique asserted, nodding her head emphatically.  “Do that, and you’ll stay on top of the food chain.  Everyone will start talking about how broad minded you are, and you’ll have the school eating outta your hand.”</p>
<p>All right.”  Bonnie sighed, “We’ll try it your way and see what happens.”</p>
<p>“All I’m asking, GF.”  Monique replied, her smiling face hiding her inner smugness at how a potentially disastrous situation had worked out in her favor.  Her situation with Bonnie was now more secure than ever and she even made new connections that might possibly further her future ambitions as a designer.  Yes, things were beginning to look up for the formerly isolated young woman.  The future had suddenly become a little less lonelier than it had been previously.  Smiling inwardly, the young teen muttered to herself, “Today was a good day.”</p>
<p>“Huh?”</p>
<p>“Oh…” Monique smiled at her best friend, “It’s nothing.  I was just thinking out loud.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Kim and Josh</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Where are your parents and brothers?”  Josh asked as his girlfriend took him by the hand up the stair to her bedroom.</p>
<p>“The boys are staying with Cousin Larry…” Kim giggled as she opened the door to her bedroom, “…and Mom and Dad aren’t going to be home for at least a couple of hours.”  Guiding her boyfriend to her bed, she sat down on the edge, gesturing for him to join her.  As he sat down next to her, she grinned, “I had a good time tonight.”</p>
<p>“I did too.”  Josh smiled back.  “Did you see how well the lead guitarist was hitting his chords?”</p>
<p>“I was paying more attention to the lyrics of the song.”  Kim admitted with a crooked grin.  “Karina really spoke to me with that last line…” The lovely began to sing gently as her boyfriend accompanied by gently drumming the bed.  “Those were powerful words.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Josh agreed, the young artist taking his girlfriend’s hand in his.  “You could feel her pain, but along with the pain, hope that everything will work out in the end.”</p>
<p>“The last line about trust.”  Kim nodded her head as she pulled her boyfriend’s hand up to her lips and kissed his palm.  “That line turned a sad, depressing song into an optimistic one with at least the possibility of a better future.”   Her lips turning up into a lecherous grin, the lovely redhead murmured coyly, “Didn’t I tell you that we’ve got the house to ourselves for the next few hours.”</p>
<p>“I believe you did.”  Josh replied as his own lips turned up in a wicked grin.</p>
<p>“Plenty of time…” Kim purred as she unbuckled her boyfriend’s belt and unbuttoned and unzipped his trousers,  “…for you to practice those ‘linguistic’ skills of yours on me while I ‘blow’ your mind.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>A Couple of Hours Later</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We better get washed up, loverboy.”  Kim murmured sleepily as she nudged the boy lying next to her.  Stretching, she joked, “Tara was right.”</p>
<p>“Right about what?”  Josh replied as he got up and stretched as well.</p>
<p>“The messier the sex, the better and boy are we a mess.”  Kim joked as she pointed to the bathroom.  “Mom, Dad, and the Tweebs will be getting here soon.  Figure we’ve got enough time for a quick shower and clean up the mess we made and then I gotta get you outta the house before Dad sees you otherwise…”</p>
<p>“My new home will be in a black hole somewhere?”  Josh quipped as he and his girlfriend padded on bare feet into her bathroom and stepped into the shower together.</p>
<p>“Exactly.”  Kim laughed as she turned on the water.  Purring as her boyfriend’s fingers found a sensitive spot, the lovely redhead remarked as Josh massaged her scalp, “I’m gonna miss that next week while I’m in Florida.”</p>
<p>“Same here.”  Josh replied as he allowed the water to cascade over him as well.  “I’m going off with my folks too—only it’s to New England to see Aunt Harriet.”</p>
<p>“Looks like everyone’s deciding to take their vacations before the big picnic.”  Kim remarked as she turned off the water and, after taking a towel for herself,  handed another one to her boyfriend.  “Hurry up and get dressed while I make the bed.  Then…you need to scoot.”</p>
<p>“Right.”  Josh replied as he finished toweling off and then quickly got dressed.  As his girlfriend finished making up the bed, he gave her a quick kiss.  “I better go before your ‘rents get home.”</p>
<p>“Call me when you get home.”  Kim responded as she escorted her boyfriend to the door and gave him a goodbye kiss.  “Drive safe!”</p>
<p>“Later!”  Josh waved back as he got in his car and drove away only minutes before a familiar car pulled into the driveway.</p>
<p>Heaving a sigh of relief at the fact that her boyfriend’s house lay in the opposite direction from where her parents were coming from, Kim smiled as her Mom, Dad, and brothers piled out of the van.  “Hey!  You all have a good time?”</p>
<p>“Larry let us play <em>Everlot</em>!” </p>
<p>“We made the Wraith Master run away!”</p>
<p>“How did you do that?”  Kim asked her brothers, “Ron tells me that he and his guild always avoid him—and he’s got some good players in his guild.”</p>
<p>Shrugging their shoulders, Jim and Tim replied, “We hacked his armor and disenchanted it.”</p>
<p>“Isn’t that cheating?”  Kim responded, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Only if you’re caught.”  Tim replied smugly.</p>
<p>“We got caught.”  Jim confessed.  “Larry got his account suspended for six months.”</p>
<p>“Remember what I and your father told you boys…” Ann growled as she pointed upstairs.  “Room…now!”</p>
<p>“Yes, Mom…” The twins moaned as they trudged somberly up the stairs.</p>
<p>“They’re grounded for a month.”  Ann explained as she turned her attention back to her daughter, “So…how did your evening go?”</p>
<p>“Great!”  Kim answered back as her father’s eyes narrowed in a suspicious gesture.  “The band playing at the concert was terrific and then after the concert, we went to Luigi’s for a quick bite.”</p>
<p>“So…” Mr. Dr. Possible queried, “When did you get home?”</p>
<p>“A little before you got home.”  Kim replied, telling a half-truth.</p>
<p>“How little?”  James pressed, but before Kim could answer, Mrs. Dr. Possible intervened.</p>
<p>“I’m sure it wasn’t too long, Dear.”  Ann interjected, “Everything’s obviously okay.  I’m sure nothing happened that wasn’t supposed to…right, Kim?”</p>
<p>“Right, Mom.”  Kim answered back in a soft voice as her father made his way up the stairs.</p>
<p>Watching her husband as he went up to his daughter’s room, Mrs. Possible gestured with her thumb to the kitchen.  Lowering her voice, she commanded, “We need to talk.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Mom.”  The lovely redhead sighed as she followed her mother into the kitchen, sitting down at the table as Ann brought over two bowls and a tub of vanilla ice cream.</p>
<p>Ladling out a couple of scoops into each of their bowls, Ann started the discussion, again keeping her voice low.  “All right, Kim.  I’m watching as you and Josh are playing baseball.  He’s at bat and has just hit the ball.  What happened?”</p>
<p>Taking a deep breath, Kim took a bite of ice cream before answering.  “He hit the ball and is at third.”</p>
<p>“I see…” Ann responded as she also ate some ice cream.  “And…”</p>
<p>“He’s probably take home in a few months or so—after my birthday.”  Kim admitted, her face turning beet red.</p>
<p>Taking a deep breath and exhaling, the redheaded neurosurgeon took another bite of ice cream before speaking further.  “I can’t say I didn’t see this coming.  Believe it or not, I was in the same situation you’re in now when I was your age.  While I know you’re taking precautions to avoid any accidents, I have to confess I was hoping we wouldn’t be having this discussion for at least another year or so.  But…again, we’re a lot alike, so…” she sighed again, “…we’re having it now.  You should tell Dr. Warren on your next appointment that you’re sexually active now—and yes, you are sexually active.”  Ann declared in an authoritative tone of voice, “You and Josh need to be careful.  I know you’re both monogamous—so that takes care of one very big concern of mine.  Still…I want you to promise me that you will be careful…do I have your word?”</p>
<p>“You do, Mom.”  Kim replied in a soft, grave tone of voice.  “I’ll make an appointment with Dr. Warren and we’ll talk.”</p>
<p>“Good.”  Ann nodded her head.  “One other thing.  You’ve done a good job keeping things quiet—you need to continue doing that.  If your father ever finds out just how far things have gone between you and Josh and just where they most likely are going to go…”</p>
<p>“He’ll explode.”  Kim concluded as her mother nodded her head once in affirmation.</p>
<p>“Right.  And neither one of us wants that to happen. So…”</p>
<p>“I’ll be careful.”  Kim vowed as she finished her ice cream.  “And Mom…thanks for being so understanding…”</p>
<p>Shaking her head, a wry grin appeared on the redheaded mother’s face, “Oh…I’m panicking inside, Kim.  Make no mistake about that.  It’s just that it wouldn’t do any of us any good if I exploded as your father most definitely will.  As it is, by not telling him, I’m going out on a limb too.  Thing is…” She confessed, “I’m in a damned if I do…damned if I don’t situation.  If I put my foot down and told your father, it wouldn’t change anything—most likely, it would only make matters worse.  If he finds out that I’ve been keeping this from him, he’s going to blow up at both of us.  Either way—I’m fucked.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Mom.”  Kim sobbed gently, “I didn’t mean…I wasn’t thinking about…”</p>
<p>“You’re young.”  Ann interrupted, “Of course you didn’t think.  Your hormones are raging.  Mine were too at your age.  So…I’m doing pretty much what you’re doing…making it up on the fly.”  Hearing her husband coming back down the stairs and then the sound of the television being turned on, Ann heaved a sigh of relief.  “That’s good.  He didn’t find anything out of place.”</p>
<p>“Thank God.”  Kim muttered in a soft voice.</p>
<p>Picking up the bowls and carrying them to the sink, Ann advised, “Let’s make sure it stays that way, okay?”</p>
<p>“Okay, Mom.”  A somewhat more chastened Kim acknowledged, “I promise.  We’ll be careful.”</p>
<p>“Good.”  Ann nodded her head, “We better get back to the living room before he does get concerned.  Go on in and I’ll join you shortly.  We’ve got a trip to Florida to plan out and I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling tired.  Looking after James and the kids…” The lovely neurosurgeon shook her head at the amused look on her daughter’s face, “Long day.”  Laughing, she quipped, “I wish Tara were here.  I could use a shot of her gin right about now.  Come on…let’s go.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> <strong><em>Later on that that night just before bed</em></strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Speaking into her phone, Kim heaved a sigh of relief, “So…mom knows about me and Josh, but she’s keeping it on the down low for now so long as we’re careful.”</p>
<p>“So…be careful, luv.”  Tara, on the other end of the phone along with Hope, advised as she lit a cigarette.</p>
<p>“Oh we are.”  Kim replied, affirming.  “But sooner or later, I’m afraid…”</p>
<p>“That your dad’s going to find out.”  Hope interjected.</p>
<p>“Uh huh.”</p>
<p>“He will.”  Tara asserted.  “Can’t keep this sort of stuff hidden for long.  Worst case, he walks in on the two of you going at it…”</p>
<p>“Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.”  Kim nervously responded.</p>
<p>Hope further cautioned, “You need to think about how and when you’re going to break the news to your old man.”</p>
<p>“My roomie’s right, luv.”  Tara cautioned. </p>
<p>“I know.”  Kim sighed, “It’s just I’ve got to find the right time.  Maybe while we’re off in Florida?  Hopefully he’ll be relaxed away from work.”</p>
<p>“Well…let us know if we can help.”  Hope offered.</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Tara chimed in, “We’re a phone call away.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, guys. I gotta go now.”  Kim sighed again as she said her goodbyes, “I’m feeling tired and tomorrow’s gonna be a big day, but I wanna talk to Ron before I turn in.  See ya later!”</p>
<p>“Toodles!  Say Hi to Stoppable for us!”</p>
<p>Tapping her speed dial, Kim smiled at the answering voice, “Hey, Ron.  Got a few minutes?”</p>
<p>“For my best friend, KP.”  Ron responded as Zita kissed him on the cheek, nodding her head approvingly, “Got all the time in the world.  So…what’s up?”</p>
<p>“Where to begin?”  Kim sighed as she began to unload all her problems on her best friend.  Several minutes later, the lovely redhead smiled as she finished her conversation.  “Thanks again for listening to me, Ron.”</p>
<p>“Anytime, KP.”  Ron responded, “Only happy to after all the times you’ve put up with my 3 AM phone calls.  See you and Josh tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“See ya tomorrow.”  As she hung up her phone and got under the covers, Kim’s lips turned up into a warm grin as she spoke to her stuffed Pandaroo.  “It’s great having friends, Pandaroo.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>One of the goals of this part was to set the stage for future developments: Crystal's coming out will have an effect on the people around her--some will be more accepting than others.  Also, some foreshadowing as to Kim's father's possible reaction once he finds out about Kim and Josh--and sooner or later he will--James is no dummy.  Also, I wanted to 'humanize' Monique and Bonnie--as we can see with Monique, there are reasons for her acting the way she is.  In spite of her bravado, she's in actuality a very lonely person as is Bonnie.   They both see each other as mutual support and have become fast friends--in many ways, they're mirror reflections of Tara and Hope.  Not much Tara and Hope in this part, but don't worry, you'll see more of them soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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